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Book, page 221 / 260 had now become dangerous, there was gloom in the Southern army. The horsemen did not know until they trotted back and saw Harry kneeling beside his dead body, that the great Ashby was gone. For a while they could not believe it. Their brilliant and daring leader, who had led Jackson's vanguard in victory, and who had hung like a covering curtain in retreat, could not have fallen. It seemed impossible that the man who had led for days and days through continuous showers of bullets could have been slain at last by some stray shot. But they lifted him up finally and carried him away to a house in the little neighboring village of Port Republic, Sherburne and the other captains, hot from battle, riding with uncovered heads. He was put upon a bed there, and Harry, a staff officer, was selected to ride to Jackson with the news. He would gladly have evaded the errand, but it was obvious that he was the right messenger. He rode slowly and found Jackson coming up with the main force, Dr. McGuire, his physician, and Colonel Crutchfield, his chief of artillery, riding on either side of him. The general gave one glance at Harry's drooping figure. "Well," he said, "have we not won the victory? From a hilltop our glasses showed the enemy in flight." "Yes, general," said Harry, taking off his hat, "we defeated the enemy, but General Ashby is dead." Jackson and his staff were silent for a moment, and Harry saw the general shrink as if he had received a heavy blow. "Ashby killed! Impossible!" he exclaimed. "It's true, sir. I helped to carry his body to a house in Port Republic, where it is now lying." "Lead us to that house, Mr. Kenton," said Jackson. Harry rode forward in silence, and the others followed in the same silence. At the house, after they had looked upon the body, Jackson asked to be left alone awhile with all that was left of Turner Ashby.
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