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"Thpit on It."

herth, and where it wath thertain, if you put your nothe, you'd get peppered."

"How?" said the Captain, winking at the circle; "why take it cool, and spit on the fuse."

The party broke up, and all retired except the patrol. The next morning a number of soldiers were assembled on the parade and talking in clusters, when along came the lisping Lieutenant. Lazily opening his eyes he remarked:

"I want to try an experiment thith morning, and thee how exceedingly cool you can be."

Saying this, he walked deliberately into the Captain's quarters, where a fire was burning on the hearth, and placing in the hottest centre a powder canister, instantly retreated. There was but one mode of egress from the quarters, and that was upon the parade ground, the road being built up for defence. The occupant took one look at the canister, comprehended the situation, and in a moment dashed at the door, but it was fastened on the outside. "Charley, let me out, for your love for me!" shouted the Captain.

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Not a moment was to be lost. He had first caught up a blanket to cover his A good story is told of a lisping officer egress; but now, dropping it, he raised in the army having been victimized by a the window and out he bounded, sans combrother officer (noted for his cool deliber- plimens, sans everything but a very short ation and strong nerves), and his getting undergarment; and thus, with hair almost square with him in the following manner. on end, he dashed upon a full parade The cool joker, the Captain, was always ground. The shouts which hailed him quizzing the lisping officer, a Lieutenant, called out the whole barracks to see what for his nervousness. was the matter, and the dignified Captain pulled a Sergeant in front of him to hide himself.

"Why," said he, one day, in the presence of his company, 66 nervousness is all nonsense; I tell you, Lieutenant, no brave man will be nervous."

"Why didn't you thpit on it?" inquired the Lieutenant.

"Well," inquired his lisping friend, "Because there were no sharpshooters "How would you do, thpose a shell with in front to stop a retreat," answered the an inch futhe thould drop itthelf into a redoubtable Captain.

walled angle, in which you had taken "All I got to thay, then, ith," said the thelter from a company of tharpthoot- Lieutenant, " that you might thafely have

done it, for I'll thware there wathn't a mined by the rebel officers in command at thingle grain of powder in it." Fort Donelson to cut their way through The Captain has never spoken of nerv- the rebel lines, destroy the army stores, ousness since.

and retreat to Nashville. But scouts were sent out and reported that it would be im

Two College-Mates Colonels in Opposing possible to effect the communication plan

Armies.

ned, on account of Union troops at all In the class of 185-, at Waterville Col- points and the impassable condition of the lege, Maine, were two young men who slough to be crossed,-that "last ditch," it had been chums while fitting for college, is presumed! at the same school, and were chums A conference of the rebel Generals was through the entire college course, and after now held, and notwithstanding the fact graduating pursued their legal studies at of communication being thus cut off, Genthe same law school, and were chums dur-eral Pillow urged the attempt to cut their ing that period also. After admission to way out or make a fight for one day more, the bar, one went South to seek his for- in which time he thought they could get tune, the other West. After the breaking steamboats enough to cross the river, and out of the rebellion, the one who went escape by Clarksville.

South enlisted in the Confederate army,

General Buckner then said that, from the other in the Union army. They both the worn out and distressed condition of afterward rose to the rank of Colonel, and his men, and the occupation of the rifleboth took part in the battle of Mission pits on the extreme right by the enemy, Ridge, in command of their respective he could not hold his position for half regiments. It so happened, that the Con- an hour if attacked by the enemy at dayfederate Colonel, at the head of a Tennes- light, which he would certainly do. see regiment, was in support of a battery which the regiment in command of the Union Colonel was ordered to take at the point of the bayonet.

"Why can't you?" asked General Pillow; "I think you can, sir," and added that the occupation of their rifle-pits by the Federals left an open gateway to the river battery, and he thought they ought to cut their way through, at all hazards.

"I know my position," retorted Buckner; "I can only bring to bear against the enemy 4,000 men, while he can oppose me with any given number."

The battery was taken; but so desperate had been the conflict, that both Colonels fell mortally wounded. After the fight was over, a Union Captain, himself a classmate of the two Colonels, being detailed to bury the dead, found the two college classmates and chums lying side "Well, gentlemen, what do you intend by side on the battle-field, with their right to do? I am in favor of fighting out," hands clasped and both dead. They had responded Pillow. evidently recognized each other after being wounded, and the old ties of friendship had asserted their supremacy, and together their spirits had passed into the eternal to cut their way out through the enemy's world. Side by side, in the same grave, they sleep their last sleep.

General Floyd then asked General Buckner what he had to say. General Buckner replied quickly, that to attempt

lines would cost a sacrifice of three-fourths of his command, and that no General had a right to make such a sacrifice of human General Floyd admitted the fact and concurred with General Buckner on On the morning of February 16th, this point. General Pillow then remarked 1862, about one o'clock, it had been deter- that there was but one alternative left,

Traitor Generals conferring over the "Last life.

Ditch."

and that was capitulation; and addressing himself to General Floyd, said:

All the officers then retired, leaving Buckner in command. The sequel is well

"Sir, I shall neither surrender the com- known. mand nor myself; I will die first."

"Neither will I surrender myself," replied General Floyd; "you know my relation with the Federal Government, and it would not do."

Buckner replied that he thought no personal feeling ought to control official action. Floyd admitted this, and said, nevertheless, it was his determination.

"Then, gentlemen," said Buckner, "I suppose the surrender will devolve on me."

"General," said Floyd to Buckner, "if you are put in command, will you allow me to take out my brigade?"

"Yes, sir, if you move your command before I send my offer of capitulation to the enemy."

"Then," said General Floyd, "I surrender the command."

"I will not accept it, as my purpose is never to surrender," said Pillow, upon whom the command next devolved.

"I will accept it," immediately replied Buckner, "and will share the fate of my command," and at once called for pen, ink and paper, and a bugler to sound a parley, it being too dark to send a flag of

truce.

Pillow then asked if it would be proper for him to make his escape. To which Floyd replied, that was a question for every man to decide for himself, but that he would be glad for every man to make his escape that could.

Colonel Forrest now addressed General Buckner, saying, "General, I think there is more fight in our men than you suppose; but if you will let me, I will also take out my command,"-to which Buckner and Floyd both assented. Turning to General Pillow, Forrest then said:

Is the Colonel at Home?

Captain Kemper, at the head of a squad of cavalry, went down into Platte county, Missouri, one day, on an amateur scout, and was rewarded by scaring up a fullgrown Confederate Colonel, whom he captured under the following rather "domestic" circumstances:

The name of the captured officer was John W. Hinston, Colonel of the First

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Is the Colonel at home?

Missouri Rifles, C. S. A.' The Captain heard of the Colonel's being in the neighborhood of Platte City, and therefore "put" for his residence, about six miles below that point. On nearing the Colonel's abode, the Captain was somewhat in advance of his men, and on riding up to the back of the house saw a man put his head out of the window, and then with a quick dodge draw it in again. The men, in the meantime, came up in front of the house, and by this means "out flanked" the Colonel, and completely cut off his retreat.

Captain Kemper now alighted, entered the house, and asked a lady, "Is the Colonel at home?" She replied, "No; there

"General, I have fought under your are no gentlemen about the house." But command, what shall I do?"

"Cut your way out!" answered Pillow. "I will, by G-!" replied Forrest.

she could not "come the giraffe" over the Captain in that kind of style, for his loyal eyes had already seen the "human face

divine" of a gentleman ornamenting the without a groan. Tuttle immediately rewindow. treated from the place, and safely arrived inside of the Federal lines.

He therefore instituted a search, his men even going under the house with lighted

Army.

The fact that General Buckner did not take the city of Louisville instead of stopping at Green River, where he invaded Kentucky on the line of the Louisville and Nashville railroad, was due, not to any

candles. Still, sure enough, there could One Obscure Patriot Baffling a Whole Rebel be found "no gentleman about the house." At last, some bedding lying in the corner of a room was examined, and—there lay the Colonel between the upper and nether ticks, dressed in the Confederate uniform, and as bright as a cricket! He immediately and unconditionally surrendered him- foresight or force of the United States auself a prisoner of war, acknowledging in thorities or of the Union men of Kentucky, the person of Captain Kemper, the " but to the loyalty, courage and tact of one man power," and that his little domestic obscure individual. arrangement was a "goner."

one

Dick Bowles Parting with his Revolver.

The noted guerilla chief, Dick Bowles, met with an end as unexpected as it was tragical in the last degree. He was killed about seven miles from Gilbertsville, Limestone county, Alabama, by Ira O. Tuttle, the young and daring chief of scouts of the Army of the Cumberland. Tuttle sought Bowles, and represented himself as willing to engage in any scheme of murder and plunder which might be proposed. Bowles was disarmed of suspicion, and related to Tuttle a short history of his life, in which he boasted of the many acts of plunder in which he had engaged, and the deliberate murders he had committed. Tuttle heard him through, and carelessly asked to examine the revolver with which Bowles was idly toying. Without any thought of suspicion, the revolver changed hands. Tuttle coolly cocked the pistol, and informed Bowles who he was, and, drawing his watch from his pocket, said:

"You have just one minute and a half to live; if you wish to humbly pray to God, kneel down, and be expeditious, for, by my soul, you die!"

Quick as a flash of lightning, Bowles made a forward movement to grasp the pistol, when Tuttle as quickly pulled the trigger, and the ball penetrated the brain of the guerilla chief. He fell and died

The secessionists had laid their plans to appear suddenly in Louisville with a powerful force. They had provided for transportation four hundred cars and fifteen locomotives, and had eight thousand men, with artillery and camp equipage, on board. They had secured the services of the telegraph operators, one of whom forwarded to Louisville a dispatch explaining the detention of trains on the road, and things were moving forward at a grand rate. Everything was going well with them, and Louisville, with perhaps the exception of a few secessionists, was unsuspected and unguarded,-General Anderson being innocent of any knowledge of the movement; James Guthrie, President of the road, totally in the dark, and General Rousseau lingering in camp on the Indiana shore. Nothing could have been better plannednothing more swimmingly and romantically in process of execution. Buckner felt as though walking through a bed of June daisies.

But at a station just beyond Green River, there was a young man in the service of the road, who was a warm friend for the Union, and who, comprehending the meaning of the monster train, when it came up, seized a crowbar used for taking up rails to make repairs, and while the locomotives were being wooded and watered, ran across a curve, and, in a deep narrow cut, wrenched the spikes from four rails.

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The train came along at good speed, the
rails spread, the locomotive plunged into
the ground, the cars crashed on the top of
it, and it was twenty-four hours before the
train could go ahead. In the meantime
Louisville was saved. The hero of the
occasion had not had time to get out of the
cut before the crash came, and was taken,
but in the general confusion and excite-
ment got away, and was safe.

That obscure individual did much more
for his country than some who wore straps
and stars.

is my judge,' he added, after an interval of silence, 'I did all in my power to make the army efficient, and I deserve removal because I did not stand up when I could, and did not.'

On a subsequent occasion, in the summer of 1861, the glorious old General said, that if the plan and conduct of the war had rested solely with him, he would have commenced by a perfect blockade of every Southern port on the Atlantic and the Gulf. Then he would have collected a large force at the Capital for defensive purposes, and another large one on the Mississippi for offensive operations. The sumThe account given by Hon. Mr. Rich- mer months, during which it is madness to ardson, of Illinois, of the interview which take troops south of St. Louis, should have took place, after the battle of Bull Run, been devoted to tactical instruction; and between himself, his Congressional col- with the first frosts of autumn he would leagues, Messrs. Logan and Washburne, have taken a column of eighty thousand and the President, Secretary of War, and well-disciplined troops down the Missis General Scott, is of peculiar interest, as sippi, and taken every important point on

Scott's Plan of the War.

War and Navy Buildings, Washington.

showing how that battle came to be fought.
Mr. Richardson's statement, as made by
him in Congress, was as follows:-

that river, New Orleans included. It could have been done with greater ease, with less loss of life, and with far more important results than would attend the marching of an army to Richmond. At eight points the river would probably have been defended, and eight batteries would have been necessary; but in every one of them success could have been made certain for us. The Mississippi and the Atlantic once ours, the Southern States would have been compelled, by the natural and inevitable pressure of events, to seek, by a return to the Union, escape from the ruin that would speedily overwhelm them if out of it. This,' said the General, was my plan.'

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In the course of our conversation, General Scott remarked, 'I am the biggest coward in the world.' I rose from my seat. Stay,' said General Scott; 'I will prove it. I have fought the battle against my judgment, and I think the President ought their retreat from Murfreesborough, ragged, to remove me to-day for doing it. As God hungry, and weary, they straggled along

Poor Bragg and his Supposed Army.
While General Bragg's troops were on

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