Under Fire: A Tale of the Shenandoah Valley — page 53: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

46 LOVE’S SACRIFICE. Althcugh the Federal forces that had invaded Vir- einia were’ badly whipped, and in full retreat toward Washington, the accounts of the battle were natur- ally grossly exaggerated. | The air was pregnant with all sorts of rumots. Southern sympathizers were now certain that the Na- tional Government was completely annihilated, arid that as soon as the District of Columbia was occupied by General Beauregard, which was regarded as a fore eone conclusion, an armistice would ensue, and the Ccnfederacy would obtain every concession they had. originally demanded. That their cause was a just one was not for a single moment questioned. This civil struggle had been started to sustain a principle, the principle would now obtain, peace must ensue, and the Southern Confederacy, as a separate government, would naturally be recognized by the powers of the earth. England, on whose evident sympathy they relied, would take the initiative, and all Europe must of course fall in line. | : No wonder the prospect was enticing. But the South entirely miscalculated the feeling of the great mass of people constituting the bulk of the republic. Defeat might sadden, but it could not cause them to yield one star from the glorious galaxy founded by the immortal Washington, and cemented by the blood of the Revolutionary patriots. ) “Civil war is asad thing to contemplate,’’ said Royal, as he and his friend watched the excited - throngs from the hotel window. ‘‘It is deplorable,’’ acquiesced Moses. ‘‘I fear we. are only at the beginning of a most desperate strug-. ie ‘‘Tam convinced that the Confederacy will find they have bitten off more than they can chew, to use: a Eomicbooks.co