(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
Welcome to THE MAKING OF A NATION -- American history in VOA Special English. The battle between the North and the South spread in the summer of eighteen sixty-one. Union soldiers fought pro-southern rioters in the streets of Baltimore and Saint Louis. A Confederate supporter shot and killed a young officer from the North. Untrained soldiers from both sides fought in the mountains of western Virginia. So far, though, the fighting had not claimed many lives. But very soon, the battle would become fierce. This week in our series, Frank Oliver and Jack Weitzel continue the story of the American Civil War. The old general who commanded the Union forces, Winfield Scott, did not want to rush his men into battle. Scott believed it would be a long war. He planned to spend the first year of it getting ready to fight. He had an army of thousands of men, and it would get much larger in coming months. But this army was not trained. His soldiers were civilians who knew nothing about fighting a war. General Scott needed time to make soldiers of these men.
He also needed time to organize a supply system to get to his forces the guns, bullets, food, and clothing they would need. Without supplies, his army could not fight very long. There were many in the North, however, who thought Scott was too careful. It was true, they said, that Union forces were untrained. But so were those of the South. And the Confederacy's supply problems were even greater than those of the Union. The South had much less industry and fewer railroads. It could not produce as much military equipment, and it could not transport supplies as easily as the North could. In the early months of the war, Jefferson Davis, the Confederate president, did not even have guns enough for the men in his army. Those who demanded immediate action expected a short war. They said Scott should take the army and march to Richmond. They were sure that if Union forces seized the Confederate capital, the southern rebellion would end. Northern newspapers took up the cry, "On to Richmond!" Political leaders began pressing for a quick northern victory. Public pressure forced the army to act. For more than a month, General Irvin McDowell had been building a Union army in northern Virginia, just across the Potomac River from Washington. He had more than thirty thousand men at bases in Arlington and Alexandria. Late in June, McDowell received orders: "March against the Confederate Army of General Pierre Beauregard."
Beauregard had twenty thousand soldiers at Manassas Junction, a railroad village in Virginia less than fifty kilometers from Washington. McDowell planned to move on Manassas Junction July ninth, but was delayed for more than a week. He planned the attack carefully. McDowell was worried that another large Confederate force west of Manassas Junction might join Beauregard's army. This force, led by General Joe Johnston, was in the Shenandoah Valley near Harpers Ferry, Virginia. Across from Harpers Ferry, in Maryland, was a Union army almost twice the size of Johnston's. It was ordered to put pressure on Johnston's force to prevent it from helping Beauregard. General Beauregard received early warning from Confederate spies that McDowell would attack. Much of his information came from a woman, Missus Rose O'Neal Greenhow. Missus Greenhow, a widow, was an important woman in Washington. She knew almost all the top government officials. And she had friends in almost every department of the government.
The beautiful Missus Greenhow also had some very special friends. One was Senator Henry Wilson of Massachusetts. He was chairman of the Senate Committee on Military Affairs. Another special friend was Thomas Jordan, a Confederate colonel in Beauregard's army. Jordan asked Missus Greenhow, soon after the war started, to be a spy for the South. She agreed and sent much valuable information about Union military plans. Early in July, she sent word to Beauregard that he would be attacked soon. She also sent a map used by the Senate Military Affairs Committee showing how the Union army would reach Manassas Junction. Then, on the morning of July sixteenth, Missus Greenhow wrote a nine-word message. She gave it to a man to carry to Beauregard. The Confederate general received it that evening. It said: "Order given for McDowell to march upon Manassas tonight." Beauregard sent a telegram to Richmond. He told the Confederate government that McDowell was on the way. He asked that Johnston's ten thousand-man force in the Shenandoah Valley join him for battle. He was told to expect Johnston's help.
But Johnston's army was threatened by a large Union force that entered Virginia from Maryland. Led by General Robert Patterson, the Union troops moved toward the smaller Confederate force. They were not really interested in fighting Johnston. But they did want to prevent him from reaching Beauregard. Johnston knew he could not defeat Patterson. So he decided to trick him. While most of his army withdrew and prepared to join Beauregard, Johnston sent a small force to attack Patterson's army. Patterson believed Johnston was attacking with all his troops. He stopped moving forward and prepared to defend against what seemed to be a strong Confederate attack. By the time the trick was discovered, Johnston and most of his troops were at Manassas. General McDowell's huge Union army left Arlington on the afternoon of July sixteenth. It was a hot day, and the road was dusty. The march was not well organized, and the men traveled slowly. They stopped at every stream to drink and wash the dust from their faces. Some of the soldiers left the road to pick fruits and berries from bushes along the way. To some of those who watched this army pass, the lines of soldiers in bright clothes looked like a long circus parade.
Most of these men had not been soldiers long. Their bodies were soft, and they tired quickly. It took them four days to travel the forty-five kilometers to Centreville, the final town before Bull Run. The battle would start the next morning -- Sunday, July twenty-first. The road from Washington was crowded early Sunday morning with horses and wagons bringing people to watch the great battle. Hundreds of men and women watched the fight from a hill near Centreville. Below them was Bull Run. But the battleground was covered so thickly with trees that the crowds saw little of the fighting. They could, however, see the smoke of battle. And they could hear the sounds of shots and exploding shells. From time to time, Union officers would ride up the hill to report what a great victory their troops were winning. In the first few hours of the battle, Union forces were winning. McDowell had moved most of his men to the left side of Beauregard's army. They attacked with artillery and pushed the Confederate forces back. It seemed that the Confederate defense would break. Some of the southern soldiers began to run. But others stood and fought.
One Confederate officer, trying to prevent his troops from moving back, pointed to a group led by General T. J. Jackson of Virginia. "Look!" He shouted. "There is Jackson, standing like a stone wall! Fight like the Virginians!" The Confederate troops refused to break. The fighting was fierce. The air was full of flying bullets. A newsman wrote that the whole valley was boiling with dust and smoke. A Confederate soldier told his friend, "Them Yankees are just marching up and being shot to hell." Neither side would give up. Then, a large group of Johnston's troops arrived by train and joined in the fight. Suddenly, Union soldiers stopped fighting and began pulling back. General McDowell and his officers tried to stop the retreat, but failed. Their men wanted no more fighting. The fleeing Union soldiers threw down their guns and equipment, thinking only of escape. Many did not stop until they reached Washington. It was a bitter defeat. But it made the North recognize the need for a real army -- one trained and equipped for war. President Abraham Lincoln gave the job of building such an army to General George McClellan.
重点解析
1.so far 到目前为止；迄今为止
It's been quiet so far.
到现在为止还算安静。
2.on the way 在路上；在途中
I met your sister on the way.
我在路上碰到你妹妹了。
3.prepare to 准备去做；做......的准备
Different writers will prepare to varying degrees.
不同作者的准备程度也会各不相同。
4.from time to time 有时；不时
Her daughters visited him from time to time when he was ill.
他生病的时候她的女儿们时常去探望他。
参考译文
欢迎收听VOA慢速英语之建国史话节目。南北战争在1861年夏天爆发，联邦士兵在巴尔的摩和圣路易斯的街道上与亲南方的暴动者开战。一名支持南方者开枪打死了一名来自北方的年轻军官。双方未经训练的士兵在西弗吉尼亚州的山区作战。不过到目前为止，还没有太多人在战火中丧命。但很快，战斗将变得非常激烈。在本周的系列节目中，弗兰克·奥利弗和杰克·威策尔将继续讲述美国内战的故事。指挥联邦部队的老将军温菲尔德·斯科特不想催促部下投入战斗。斯科特认为这将是一场旷日持久的战争，他计划第一年用于备战。他有一支由数千人组成的军队，在未来几个月里，它将变得更加壮大。但这支军队没有受过训练，他的士兵都是些不懂作战的平民。斯科特将军需要时间把这些人训练成士兵。
他还需要时间来组织一个补给系统，以便向他的部队提供所需要的枪支、子弹、食物和衣服。没有补给，他的军队打不了多久。然而在北方，有很多人认为斯科特过于谨慎。他们说，联邦部队确实没有经过训练。但是，南方人情况相同。联盟国的供给问题甚至比联盟还要严重，南方的工业和铁路都少得多，不能生产那么多的军事装备，也不能像北方那样轻易地运输物资。在战争的最初几个月里，联盟国总统杰斐逊·戴维斯甚至没有足够的枪支放给军队里的士兵。那些要求立即采取行动的人预计战争很快就能结束。他们说，斯科特应该率领军队向里士满进军。他们确信，如果联邦军队占领了南方联盟国的首都，南部叛乱就将终结。北方的报纸大声疾呼：“去里士满！”政治领导人开始催促，让北方迅速取得胜利。公众压力迫使军队采取行动。一个多月来，欧文·麦克道尔将军一直在弗吉尼亚州北部，华盛顿对面的波托马克河上建立一支联邦军队。他在阿灵顿和亚历山大的基地备有三万多人。6月底，麦克道尔接到命令：“向皮埃尔·博瑞德将军的联盟国军队进军。”
博瑞德在离华盛顿不到50公里远、弗吉尼亚州的一个铁路村庄马纳萨斯会合点处设有两万士兵。麦克道尔计划于7月9日向马纳萨斯会合点处动身，但被耽搁了一个多星期。他精心策划了这次袭击，麦克道尔担心，在马纳萨斯会合点以西的另一支大规模联盟国部队，可能会加入博瑞德的军队。由乔·约翰斯顿将军率领的这支部队，部署于弗吉尼亚州哈普斯渡口附近的谢南多厄河谷。在马里兰州的哈普斯渡口对面，有一支联邦军的部队，其规模几乎是约翰斯顿将军的两倍之多。这支联邦军命令对约翰斯顿的部队施加压力，以阻止它支援博瑞德。博瑞德将军收到了联盟国间谍的预警，得知麦克道尔将发动进攻。他的大部分信息来自一名叫做罗斯·奥尼尔·格林豪的女人。格林豪太太是一名寡妇，在华盛顿是个地位重要的女性。她认识几乎所有的高级政府官员，政府机构中的每个部门几乎都有她的朋友。
美丽的格林豪太太也有一些非常特别的朋友。一位是马萨诸塞州的参议员亨利·威尔逊，他是参议院军事委员会主席。另一位特别的朋友是托马斯·乔丹，他是博瑞德联盟国军队中的一名上校。战争刚开始不久，乔丹就请格林豪太太做南方的间谍。她同意了，还送出了许多有关联邦军事计划的宝贵信息。七月初，她向博瑞德发送消息，说他很快就会遭到攻击。她还送出了一张参议院军事事务委员会使用的地图，显示出联邦军队将如何抵达马纳萨斯会合点。然后，在7月16日上午，格林豪太太写了一封只有九个字的信。她把信交给一个男人，让他带给博瑞德。联盟国将军当晚收到了信，上面写着：“麦克道尔收到今晚要向马纳萨斯会合点进军的命令。”博瑞德给里士满发了一封电报，他告诉联盟国政府麦克道尔已经上路了。他要求约翰斯顿部署在谢南多厄河谷的万人部队和他一起作战。他被告知，将得到约翰斯顿的支援。
但是，约翰斯顿的军队受到从马里兰州进入弗吉尼亚州的一支大规模联邦部队的威胁。在罗伯特·帕特森将军的领导下，联邦军队向规模较小的联盟国部队进发。他们并不真对和约翰斯顿作战感兴趣，但他们确实想阻止他支援博瑞德。约翰斯顿知道他无法打败帕特森，所以他决定和他耍个诡计。当约翰斯顿的大部分军队撤出，并准备与博瑞德会合时，他派遣了一支小部队攻击帕特森的军队。帕特森认为，约翰斯顿正在发动全军进攻。于是他停止前进，准备防御一场看似强大的联盟国军队的进攻。诡计被戳穿时，约翰斯顿和他的大部分部队都到了马纳萨斯会合点。麦克道尔将军率领的联邦大军于7月16日下午离开阿灵顿。那是个炎热的日子，道路上满是灰尘。行军组织得很糟糕，战士们缓慢前行。他们每遇到一条小溪，就停下来喝水，再洗去脸上的灰尘。一些士兵离开公路，顺着小路从灌木丛中摘水果和浆果。对于一些看到这支军队经过的人来说，一排排穿着鲜艳衣服的士兵，看起来像是一场队伍拉得很长的马戏团游行。
他们中大部分人都没有当过多久的兵，身体并不强壮，很快就没有力气了。他们花了四天时间，才走完45公里的路到达接近布尔朗的最后一个城镇森特维尔。战斗将在第二天早上，也就是7月21日星期天打响。星期天早上，从华盛顿过来的路上人满为患，人们骑着马、坐着马车前来观看这场伟大的决斗。成百上千的男女在森特维尔附近的一座小山上观战，他们下方就是布尔朗。但是，战场上的树木太过密集，几乎看不到打斗的场景。但是，他们可以看到战斗中炮火的烟雾，也能听到枪声和炮弹爆炸的声音。有时，联邦军的军官会骑着马上山，报告他们的军队赢得的伟大胜利。在战斗最初的几个小时里，联邦部队取得了胜利。麦克道尔把他的大部分兵力转移到了博瑞德军队的左边。他们发射大炮攻击，迫使联盟国军队后撤。看起来，联盟国军队的防御系统即将崩溃。一些南方士兵开始逃跑，但其他人仍坚持作战。
一名联盟国军官试图阻止他的部队撤退，他指着由弗吉尼亚州的T·J·杰克逊将军领导的一个小队，喊道：“快看！杰克逊就在那儿，像石墙一样稳固！像维吉尼亚州的勇士一样战斗吧！”联盟国的部队拒绝溃败。战斗非常激烈，空气中满是飞弹。一位记者写道，尘土和烟雾在整个山谷中沸腾。一名联盟国的士兵告诉他的朋友：“那些北方佬来进攻，然后被子弹送进地狱。”双方都绝不认输。随后，约翰斯顿的大批部队乘火车抵达，参加到战斗中。突然，联邦士兵停止作战，开始撤退。麦克道尔将军和他的军官试图阻止撤退，但没有成功。他们的士兵不想再打下去了。逃亡的联邦士兵扔下枪支和装备，一心只想着逃跑，许多人一直在到达华盛顿后才停住脚步。这是一场惨痛的败仗，但它使北方人意识到，他们需要一支真正的军队，一支受过训练并装备精良的作战部队。总统亚伯拉罕·林肯把组建这样一支军队的任务委派给乔治·麦克莱伦将军。
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