up　the　gaps　were　far　inferior　troops　to　those　with　which　he　had
  commenced　the　campaign。　　To　send　forward　such　men　against　the
  fortifications　of　Petersburg　manned　by　Lee's　veteran　troops　was　to
  court　defeat；　and　he　therefore　began　to　throw　up　works　for　a
  regular　siege。
  Fighting　went　on　incessantly　between　the　outposts；　but　only　one
  great　attempt　was　made　during　the　early　months　of　the　siege　to
  capture　the　Confederate　position。　　The　miners　drove　a　gallery
  under　the　works；　and　then　drove　other　galleries　right　and　left　under
  them。　　These　were　charged　with　eight　thousand　pounds　of　powder。
  When　all　was　ready；　masses　of　troops　were　brought　up　to　take
  advantage　of　the　confusion　which　would　be　caused　by　the
  explosion；　and　a　division　of　black　troops　were　to　lead　the　assault。
  At　a　quarter　to　five　in　the　morning　of　the　30th　of　July　the　great
  mine　was　exploded；　blowing　two　guns；　a　battery；　and　its　defenders
  into　the　air；　and　forming　a　huge　pit　two　hundred　feet　long　and　sixty
  feet　wide。　　Lee　and　Beauregard　hurried　to　the　scene；　checked　the
  panic　that　prevailed；　brought　up　troops；　and　before　the　great
  Federal　columns　approached　the　breach　the　Confederates　were
  ready　to　receive　them。　　The　assault　was　made　with　little　vigor；　the
  approaches　to　the　breach　were　obstructed　by　abattis；　and　instead　of
  rushing　forward　in　a　solid　mass　they　occupied　the　great　pit；　and
  contented　themselves　with　firing　over　the　edge　of　the　crater；　where
  regiments　and　divisions　were　huddled　together。　　But　the
  Confederate　batteries　were　now　manned；　and　from　the　works　on
  either　side　of　the　breach；　and　from　behind；　they　swept　the
  approaches；　and　threw　shell　among　the　crowded　mass。　　The　black
  division　was　now　brought　up；　and　entered　the　crater；　but　only
  added　to　the　confusion；　　There　was　no　officer　of　sufficient
  authority　among　the　crowded　mass　there　to　assume　the　supreme
  command。　　No　assistance　could　be　sent　to　them；　for　the　arrival　of
  fresh　troops　would　but　have　added　to　the　confusion。　　All　day　the
  conflict　went　on；　the　Federals　lining　the　edge　of　the　crater；　and
  exchanging　a　heavy　musketry　fire　with　the　Confederate　infantry；
  while　the　mass　below　suffered　terribly　from　the　artillery　fire。
  When　night　closed　the　survivors　of　the　great　column　that　had
  marched　forward　in　the　morning；　confident　that　victory　was
  assured　to　them；　and　that　the　explosion　would　lay　Petersburg　open
  to　capture；　made　their　retreat；　the　Confederates；　however；　taking　a
  considerable　number　of　prisoners。　　The　Federal　loss　in　killed；
  wounded　and　captured　was　admitted　by　them　to　be　4；000；　the
  Confederate　accounts　put　it　down　at　6；000。
  After　this　terrible　repulse　it　was　a　long　time　before　Grant　again
  renewed　active　operations；　hut　during　the　months　that　ensued　his
  troops　suffered　very　heavily　from　the　effects　of　fever；　heightened
  by　the　discouragement　they　felt　at　their　want　of　success；　and　at　the
  tremendous　losses　they　had　suffered　since　they　entered　Virginia　on
  their　forward　march　to　Richmond。
  CHAPTER　VIII。　A　PERILOUS　UNDERTAKING。
  VINCENT　WINGFIELD　had　had　an　arduous　time　of　it　with　his
  squadron　of　cavalry。　　He　had　taken　part　in　the　desperate　charge
  that　checked　the　advance　of　Sheridan's　great　column　of　cavalry
  which　approached　within　three　miles　of　Richmond；　the　charge　that
  had　cost　the　gallant　Stuart　his　life；　and　the　death　of　his　beloved
  general　had　been　a　heavy　blow　for　him。　　Jackson　and　Stuart；　two　of
  the　bravest　and　noblest　spirits　of　the　Confederate　army；　were　gone。
  Both　had　been　personally　dear　to　Vincent；　and　he　felt　how
  grievous　was　their　loss　to　the　cause　for　which　he　was　fighting；　but
  he　had　little　time　for　grief。　　The　enemy；　after　the　tremendous
  battles　of　the　Wilderness；　swung　their　army　round　to　Cold　Harbor；
  and　Vincent's　squadron　was　called　up　to　aid　Lee　in　his　struggle
  there。　　Then　they　were　engaged　night　and　day　in　harassing　the
  enemy　as　they　marched　down　to　take　up　their　new　base　at
  Petersburg；　and　finally　received　orders　to　ride　round　at　full　speed
  to　aid　in　the　defense　of　that　place。
  They　had　arrived　in　the　middle　of　the　second　day's　fighting；　and
  dismounting　his　men　Vincent　had　aided　the　hard…pressed
  Confederates　in　holding　their　lines　till　Long…street's　division
  arrived　to　their　assistance。　　A　short　time　before　the　terrible　disaster
  that　befell　the　Federals　in　the　mine　they　exploded　under　the
  Confederate　works；　he　was　with　General　Wade　Hampton；　who　had
  succeeded　General　Stuart　in　the　command　of　the　cavalry；　when
  General　Lee　rode　up。
  〃They　are　erecting　siege　works　in　earnest；〃　General　Lee　said。　　〃I　do
  not　think　that　we　shall　have　any　more　attacks　for　the　present。　　I
  wish　I　knew　exactly　where　they　are　intending　to　place　their　heavy
  batteries。　　If　I　did　we　should　know　where　to　strengthen　our
  defenses；　and　plant　our　counter　batteries。　　It　is　very　important　to
  find　this　out；　but　now　that　their　whole　army　has　settled　down　in
  front　of　us；　and　Sheridan's　cavalry　are　scouring　the　woods；　we　shall
  get　no　news；　for　the　farmers　will　no　longer　be　able　to　get　through
  to　tell　us　what　is　going　on。
  〃I　will　try　and　ride　round；　if　you　like；　general；〃　Vincent　said。　　〃By
  making　a　long　detour　one　could　get　into　the　rear　of　their　lines　and
  pass　as　a　farmer　going　into　camp　to　sell　his　goods。〃
  〃It　would　be　a　very　dangerous　service；　sir；〃　General　Lee　said。
  〃You　know　what　the　consequence　would　be　if　you　were　caught？〃
  〃I　know　the　consequence；〃　Vincent　said；　〃but　I　do　not　think；　sir；
  that　the　risk　is　greater　than　one　runs　every　time　one　goes　into
  battle。〃
  〃Perhaps　not；〃　General　Lee　replied；　〃but　in　one　case　one　dies
  fighting　for　one's　country　by　an　honorable　death；　in　the　other…〃　and
  he　stopped。
  〃In　the　other　one　is　shot　in　cold　blood；〃　Vincent　said　quietly。　　〃One
  dies　for　one's　country　in　either　case；　sir；　and　it　does　not　much
  matter；　so　far　as　I　can　see；　whether　cue　is　killed　in　battle　or　shot　in
  cold　blood。　　As　long　as　one　is　doing　one's　duty；　one　death　is　surely
  as　honorable　as　the　other。〃
  〃That　is　true　enough；〃　General　Lee　said；　〃although　it　is　not　the　way
  men　generally　view　the　matter。　　Still；　sir；　if　you　volunteer　for　the
  work；　I　do　not　feel　justified　in　refusing　the　opportunity　of
  acquiring　information　that　may　be　of　vital　consequence　to　us。
  When　will　you　start？〃
  〃In　half　an　hour；　sir。　　I　shall　ride　back　to　Richmond；　obtain　a
  disguise　there；　and　then　go　round　by　train　to　Burksville　Junction
  and　then　ride　again　until　I　get　round　behind　their　lines。　　Will　you
  give　me　an　order　for　my　horse　and　myself　to　he　taken？〃
  〃Very　well；　sir；〃　General　Lee　said。　　〃So　be　it。　　May　God　he　with
  you　on　your　way　and　bring　you　safely　back。〃
  Vincent　rode　off　to　his　quarters。
  〃Dan；〃　he　said；　〃I　am　going　away　on　special　duty　for　at　least　three
  days。　　I　have　got　a　couple　of　letters　to　write；　and　shall　be　ready　to
  start　in　half　an　hour。　　Give　the　horse　a　good　feed　and　have　him　at
  the　door　again　by　that　time。〃
  〃Am　I　to　go　with　you；　sah？〃
  〃No；　Dan；　I　must　go　by　myself　this　time。〃
  Dan　felt　anxious　as　he　went　out；　for　it　was　seldom　that　his　master
  ever　went　away　without　telling　him　where　he　was　going；　and　he
  felt　sure　that　the　service　was　one　of　unusual　danger；　nor　was　his
  anxiety　lessened　when　at　the　appointed　time　Vincent　came　out　and
  handed　him　two　letters。
  〃You　are　to　keep　these　letters；　Dan；　until　I　return；　or　till　you　hear
  that　something　has　happened　to　me。　　If　you　hear　that；　you　are　to
  take　one　of　these　letters　to　my　mother；　and　take　the　other　yourself
  to　Miss　Kingston。　Tell　her　before　you　give　it　her　what　has
  happened　as　gently　as　you　can。　　As　for　yourself；　Dan；　you　had　your
  letters　of　freedom　long　ago；　and　I　have　left　you　five　hundred
  dollars；　so　that　you　can　get　a　cabin　and　patch　of　your　own；　and
  settle　down　when　these　troubles　are　over。〃
  〃Let　me　go　with　you；　master；〃　Dan　said；　with　the　tears　streaming
  down　his　cheeks。　　〃I　would　rather　be　killed　with　you　a　hundred
  times　than　get　on　without　you。〃
  〃I　would　take　you　if　I　could；　Dan；　but　this　is　a　service　that　I　must
  do　alone。　　Good…by；　my　boy；　let　us　hope　that　in　three　or　four　days
  at　the　outside　I　shall　be　back　here　again　safe　and　sound。〃
  He　wrung　Dan's　hand；　and　then　started　at　a　canter　and　kept　on　at
  that　pace　until　he　reached　Richmond。　　A　train　with　stores　was
  starting　for　the　south　in　a　few　minutes；　General　Lee's　order　enabled
  Vincent　to　have　a　horse…box　attached　at　once；　and　he　was　soon
  speeding　on　his　way。　He　alighted　at　Burksville　Junction；　and　there
  purchased　some　rough　clothes　for　himself　and　some
  country…fashioned　saddlery　for　his　horse。　　Then；　after　changing　his
  clothes　at　an　inn　and　putting　the　fresh　saddlery　on　his　horse；　he
  started。
  It　was　getting　late　in　the　afternoon；　but　he　rode　on　by　unfrequented
  roads；　stopping　occasionally　to　inquire　if　any　of　the　Federal
  cavalry　had　been　seen　in　the　neighborhood；　and　at　last　stopped　for
  the　night　at　a　l