"For this army. Did you not know on yesterday that Lee was moving? If you intended to be of service to us, why did you delay?"
Here was an opening.
"Circumstances were such that I could not leave yesterday, General; besides, it was only last night that I became convinced of the nature of General Lee's movement." I was hoping that I could give the Doctor some signal before he should speak--before he should recognize me. I was determined to prevent his exposing me, no matter at what personal risk.
"And how did you become convinced?" asked the general.
"It was the universal opinion of the men that convinced me, General. But that was only additional to the circumstances of position and direction of march."
"The men? What do the men know of such things?"
"The men I speak of, General, were all familiar with the country, from having marched over it many times. They were in the August campaign of last year; they said that the present movement could mean nothing except a repetition of General Jackson's flank march of last year."
The general looked exceedingly grave. His eyes were always upon me. The officers were very silent--motionless, except for glances one at another.
"Were you in Lee's campaigns last year?"
"Yes, sir."