“Cynthy,” said Ephraim in gentle reproof, “I callate the General don't want to hear that.”
Cynthia flushed, but the President looked at her with an added interest.
“My dear young lady,” he said, “that seems to me the vital part of the story. If I remember rightly,” he added, turning again to Ephraim, “the Fifth Corps was on the Orange turnpike. What brigade were you in?”
“The third brigade of the First Division,” answered Ephraim.
“Griffin's,” said the President. “There were several splendid New England regiments in that brigade. I sent them with Griffin to help Sheridan at Five Forks.”
“I was thar too,” cried Ephraim.
“What!” said the President, “with the lame hip?”
“Well, General, I went back, I couldn't help it. I couldn't stay away from the boys—just couldn't. I didn't limp as bad then as I do now. I wahn't much use anywhere else, and I had l'arned to fight. Five Forks!” exclaimed Ephraim. “I call that day to mind as if it was yesterday. I remember how the boys yelled when they told us we was goin' to Sheridan. We got started about daylight, and it took us till four o'clock in the afternoon to git into position. The woods was just comin' a little green, and the white dogwoods was bloomin' around. Sheridan, he galloped up to the line with that black horse of his'n and hollered out, 'Come on, boys, go in at a clean, jump or You won't ketch one of 'em.' You know how men, even veterans like that Fifth Corps, sometimes hev to be pushed into a fight. There was a man from a Maine regiment got shot in the head fust thing. 'I'm killed,' said he. 'Oh, no, you're not,' says Sheridan, 'pickup your gun and go for 'em.' But he was killed. Well, we went for 'em through all the swamps and briers and everything, and Sheridan, thar in front, had got the battle-flag and was rushin' round with it swearin' and prayin' and shoutin', and the first thing we knowed he'd jumped his horse clean over their logworks and landed right on top of the Johnnie's.”
“Yes,” said the President, “that was Sheridan, sure enough.”
“Mr. President,” said the senator, who stood by wonderingly while General Grant had lost himself in this conversation, “do you realize what time it is?”