Your army hasn't done running yet.

We shall take Washington to-morrow, and Jeff Davis will be in the White House before the week is out." "Have you taken many prisoners ?" asked Tom, who could not dispute the position of the rebel soldier.
"About fifty thousand, I b'lieve," replied Secesh, with refreshing confidence.
Tom indulged in a low whistle, but his companion could not tell whether it was an expression of regret or incredulity.

If they had stood on an equality, Tom would probably have suggested that the figures should be interpreted "over the left"-- an idiosyncrasy in language which he had imported from Pinchbrook, but which may not be wholly unintelligible to our young readers.
From his conductor he obtained some particulars of the battle and its result, which were afterwards more fully set forth in General Beauregard's official report, and which would have read better on the pages of Sinbad the Sailor than in the folios of a military despatch.

But the Secesh soldier's "facts and figures" were comforting to Tom, who still had a stronger interest in the condition of the good cause, after the heavy blow it had received, than he had in his own individual welfare.

Like too heavy a dose of poison, the magnitude of the stories refuted and defeated them.
The soldier boy listened in respectful silence, but he was utterly incredulous.