there were noble individual exceptions in England, men whose sympathies were on the side of humanity in this great struggle.

Should the Duke of Argyle visit our land, we should forget that he was an Englishman, and remember only, that in the hour of our anguish, he uttered noble words of sympathy and of cheer. Our homes would be open to welcome him; our hearts would throb to greet him. We shall never forget, that when this direful rebellion was desolating our homes with death, and smiting our hearts with woe, he, breasting the torrent of his nation's abuse, said, at a banquet at Invernay, in Scotland,

"No more tremendous issues were ever submitted to the dread arbitrament of war, than those which are now submitted to it upon the American continent. We ought to admit, in fairness to the Americans, that there are some things worth fighting for; and that national existence is one of them."

On the 25th of October, the bereaved and saddened remnant of the 15th Massachusetts regiment, under Col. Devens, held their first parade after the battle of Ball's Bluff. The heroism of this regiment and of their colonel deserves especial notice. These Massachusetts men, deployed as skirmishers upon the brow of the bluff, held the thronging rebels in check for some time. Many of them absolutely refused to go below the bluff, but fought till they were shot down. It was manifest that all further resistance was unavailing, but these men would not consider even the question of surrender. Col. Devens said, in his report, that under the circumstances he would have surrendered to a foreign foe, but that to traitors and rebels, surrender was impossible. The Colonel himself swam the river by aid of three of his soldiers. Upon the island he found thirty of his men, and formed them in line of battle. Gradually, during the night, others joined them who had escaped. These were the heroic men, but the shadow of the regiment which, but a few weeks before, left Massachusetts, who now were assembled for their first parade after that disastrous day. Col. Devens thus addressed them, in strains which would have given a Roman immortality:

"Soldiers of Massachusetts, men of Worcester county, with these fearful gaps in your lines, with the recollection of the terrible struggle of Monday fresh upon your thoughts, with the knowledge of the bereaved and soul-stricken ones at home, weeping for those whom they will see no more upon earth, with that hospital before your eyes, filled with wounded and maimed comrades, I ask you now, whether you are ready again to meet the traitorous foe, who are endeavoring to subvert our Government, and who are crushing under the iron heel of despotism the liberties of a part of our country. Would you go next week? Would you go to-morrow? Would you go this moment?" One hearty YES! burst from every lip.

It had been ascertained, by a naval reconnoisance, from our little squadron in the Chesapeake, that a number of rebel vessels were undergoing repairs at Chincoteague Inlet, about two miles inland, on the Virginia shore. On the night of the 25th of October, Lieut. Alfred Hopkins, took three boats and twenty-five men from the United States gun-boat Louisiana, and entered the inlet to destroy them. The night was dark

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and with muffled oars they crept cautiously along, within sound of the voices of the rebel sentries on the shore. Safely and undiscovered they reached the rebel fleet. The channel was so intricate and well-guarded that it was deemed impossible to bring any of the vessels out. With matches and combustibles prepared, they rushed on board and almost instantly the heavens were illumined with the blaze of the conflagration. The enemy were taken so by surprise, and were thrown into such consternation, that they offered no resistance. Not even a shot was fired. The leaping flames announced to those on board the gun-boat, the complete success of the expedition; and, at day-light, the brave adventurers returned to their ship, not having lost a man.

On the 26th, there was an engagement at Romney, on the South branch of the Potomac. About five hundred rebels had intrenched themselves there. Gen. Kelley, in command of seven hundred Union troops, commenced a march to strike them by surprise. His route of twenty-five miles, led through Frankfort and Springfield. When within half a mile of Springfield they were greeted with the roar of a twelve-pounder, and a shell came shrieking through their ranks, severely wounding two men. This was their first notification of the presence of the enemy. The fire from this rebel outpost was returned with so much vigor, that the enemy abandoned their commanding position, and retreated through the mountain pass, and across the South branch, to a cemetery near the westerly end of the town of Romney. Here they had protective earth-works, with a rifled twelve-pounder and a mountain howitzer, which commanded the approach of the Union troops for more than a mile. The battle was recommenced with great vigor, the fire of the enemy being returned with one twelve-pounder and two six-pounders, both smooth bores. The rebels, perfectly acquainted with the ground, and having obtained accurate range, for half an hour kept up a very energetic discharge of shell and canister, by which, though but one man was instantly killed thirty were wounded. It will never cease to be a wonder how, in war, under the most deadly fire, so many escape destruction. In this case many of the shots passed just over the heads of the troops, leaving evidence of their fearful power in the forest behind.

The untried volunteers met this ordeal like veterans; and when shells were shrieking over their heads and canister shot falling like hail stones upon their ranks, not a man was seen to flinch. For half an hour the troops were exposed to this severe trial when the welcome command was given to charge. The cavalry dashed across the stream by a ford, led by Captains Keys and McGhee. The infantry rushed over a bridge, in the face of the guns which the foe supposed would perfectly command the passage. The charge was so impetuous that the rebels commenced a precipitate retreat, abandoning everything, and rushing in wildest rout towards Winchester. They lost their two guns, thirty baggage wagonstwice as many as the Union army lost at Bull Run-with all their camp equipage, many horses and several hundred stand of arms. The enemy lost eight killed and fifteen wounded. Most of the rebel cavalry escaped, as they had fleet and fresh horses. The infantry scattered in the woods

and over the mountains so that they could not be pursued. The Union troops marched triumphantly into Romney.

On the 1st of November, Gen. Winfield Scott, in the 76th year of his age, the veteran soldier, the revered man, encompassed by infirmities, at his own earnest request, was permitted to retire from active service. The youthful, vigorous Major-General Geo. B. McClellan, then in the 36th year of his age, was appointed his successor as Commander-in-chief of the armies of the United States. Seldom before has so heavy a burden been placed upon any shoulders. The retirement of Gen. Scott was attended with the most conspicuous marks of public veneration and affection. The President and his whole cabinet called upon the retiring soldier, with affecting expressions of the nation's sympathies in his infirmities, and its sense of the value of those public services which it had received from his hands, during his long and brilliant career.

The accession of Gen. McClellan to this all-important post was received, throughout the country, with one united voice of acclaim. It was understood that he was recommended by Gen. Scott, and that he had the full confidence of our most sagacious military men.

A small body of Union troops, under General Rosecrans, were encamped on the east side of New River, in Virginia, near Gauley Bridge. The rebels crept up cautiously, planted their batteries on a hill upon the opposite side of the river, and practised target firing all day long. They hurt nobody, and hit nothing, except a flat-boat in the river. The 11th Ohio withdrew their tents a few rods, to be safe from any chance shot. Towards evening a national battery of rifled guns was brought up, and after a few volleys, the rebel batteries retired, probably unharmed. Thus terminated that frolic of war.

About the same time, the 13th Indiana regiment, under Col. Sullivan, and a portion of Ohio cavalry, under Capt. Robinson, entered upon an exploring tour, among the mountains of Western Virginia, of nine days' duration. They penetrated a very rough country, in a march of one hundred and eighty miles, had a skirmish with the rebels, in which they killed a few and took thirteen prisoners, and returned to their camp at Huttonsville, without the loss of a single man, and with but one private slightly wounded.

While such remained the state of affairs in Virginia, the attention of the community was directed to great activity in the naval department, in preparation for another maritime expedition on a magnificent scale. The

* Winfield Scott was born near Petersburg, Va., June 13, 1786. His parents, who were in humble life, emigrants from Scotland, died when he was 17 years of age. In the year 1806, he was admitted to the bar as a lawyer. The threatening attitude of England roused his indignation and summoned him to the army, and in the war which ensued he greatly signalized himself at Queenstown, Fort George, Chippewa and Niagara. He rose rapidly through the grades of military distinction, and was breveted Major-General the 14th of July, 1814. He finished the Black Hawk War, and attained the height of his military reputation in the campaign of Mexico. Being a Virginian by birth and having married a Virginian lady, much, but needless solicitude was felt for a time, as to his loyalty. Judge Robinson, an old friend and classmate, came to Washington to offer him a position in the rebel army. His response was decided. He was at one time a prominent candidate for the Presidency, and is now venerated and beloved by all the loyal. raillions of his countrymen.

destination of the fleet was kept a profound secret. The rebels, unaware upon what point the blow might fall, along a coast fifteen hundred miles in length, were greatly alarmed. Brig. Gen. T. W. Sherman was placed in command of the expedition. In the instructions which he received from the War Department, he was directed to avail himself " of the services of any persons, whether fugitives from labor or not, who may offer themselves to the National Government," and he was authorized to employ such persons in any capacity which he might deem most beneficial to the service. The command was to sail to its destination under convoy of a naval squadron, commanded by Commander Dupont. The fleet consisted of eighteen men-of-war and thirty-eight transports. The transports were ordered to move in three columns, in the rear of their armed protectors. The sailing vessels were to be towed by the steamers. Surf boats were provided, sufficient to land three or four thousand men at once. Six hundred sailors were selected to manage the boats. The fleet rendezvoused at Hampton Roads, under the guns of Fortress Monroe.

On Tuesday, Oct. 29th, the squadron put to sea, none but the commanding officers knowing whither it was bound. When three days out, and off Cape Hatteras, they encountered a terrific gale, which so utterly dispersed the fleet, that on Saturday morning, from the deck of the Wabash, but one sail only was in sight. The next day the gale abated, and the ships began to reäppear. As they came together, they had many disasters to report. The man-of-war Isaac Smith, to escape from foundering, was compelled to throw overboard a valuable battery. The transport Peerless, in a sinking condition, succeeded in placing her people on board the Mohican. The steamer Governor went down, after the Sabine had, by heroic exertions, saved all on board. On Monday morning, Nov. 4th, at eight o'clock, the Wabash, with twenty-five vessels in company, cast anchor off Port Royal, a magnificent harbor, opening to a curious labyrinth of ocean creeks, on the South Carolina coast, about fifty miles south of Charleston. Many other vessels of the fleet were then heaving in sight.

The rebels had removed from all the shores of their capacious coast, every light-house, buoy or guide, which could aid the mariner. A fleet little steamer, the Vixen, soon sounded out and buoyed the harbor. Before dark all the steamers, which did not draw more than eighteen feet of water, were securely anchored in the roadstead of Port Royal. A few rebel steamers, under Commodore Tatnall, appearing in sight, the gunboats opened upon them, and chased them under the guns of some batteries which guarded the entrance of the harbor. The mouth of the harbor, called Broad River, was about two and a half miles wide. Upon the south shore, which was named Hilton Head, there was a formidable battery of twenty-three guns. On the north shore, which was called Bay Point, there were two batteries, one mounting fifteen, and the other four guns.

The outside bar was two miles wide, and in crossing it at high tide the keel of the majestic Wabash would come within a foot or two of the bottom. The passage of this noble frigate over the bar was watched with intense anxiety, and when the feat was successfully accomplished, cheers