It is very important to find this out; and 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 one 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.