When George and his army had toiled hard for nearly a month, had thrown up a whole mountain of sand hills, and kept on crying for more soldiers, and had got almost all his guns mounted; and was just ready to bring Yorktown down about Mr. Johnston’s ears, with a grand display of substantial fireworks, that general made up his mind not to be served in that way.  Nor would he accommodate George by waiting to see his grand display of fireworks.  No, my son, he was not the man to be caught at a disadvantage, or waste powder unnecessarily.  Some kind friend informed him of George’s intentions, so he packed up his baggage one night, and moved himself off, leaving Yorktown and his sand hills as a legacy to George, who was very much disappointed at being treated so shabbily by his old friend and playmate.

People said General Johnston was a cunning fox, and not to be caught in any trap our George could set.  But George, like the Irishman, had a deal of pluck, and a big heart, and, above both, a great deal of chivalry.  Now he was anxious that his old friend should not go away so shabbily, but come back, and either breakfast with him or accommodate him with a fight.  So he sent his rough-riders after him, and they proceeded at a rapid pace, and came up with him on the outskirts of Williamsburg, where General Johnston prepared to fight rather than come to breakfast.  There both armies came together, and a great battle was fought, which lasted two days.  There was desperate fighting on both sides, and a great many were killed and wounded, and a great many more so badly frightened that they kept out of the fight, which they held to be a proof of their wisdom.

We gained a great victory over the rebels at Williamsburg, and made them feel so ashamed of themselves that they resumed their march backwards on the road to Richmond.  And this battle and this victory attached our good Union soldiers more closely to General George.  Indeed, my son, they loved him, and looked up to him as a dutiful child does to a kind father.  They marched up the Peninsula singing his praises.  And now, my son, let me enjoin you that whenever you hear the names of Generals Hancock and Kearney mentioned, respect and revere them, for never was American valor more beautifully illustrated than by those generals on the field at Williamsburg.

Then General George sent the right wing of his grand army, under General Franklin, by water, to West Point, where he fought a battle with General Johnston’s rear-guard, and gained another victory.  Then both armies moved leisurely along, up the Peninsula, in a manner not to make the marching uncomfortable.  It rained a great deal, and the roads were bad, and the enemy resolved not to be hurried.  And our Government, which was not so wise in war matters then as it got to be in time, was not disposed to do anything that might change General Johnston’s resolution.  In fine, our Government seemed to have quite as big a quarrel with General George as it had with the rebels,