further, calling to their prisoner to "come on," the latter responding: "Go ahead, lead the way, quick." the woods near by. He avoided these. and about one mile further on came across a negro, who stated that about three hundred yards further on were twelve mounted rebel pickets at a house. The Lieutenant avoided the latter by making a detour to the left, and took a by-road, leading over to the Richmond and Charles City road. The night before, some seventy-five Con Montgomery now saw a favorable moment, and preferring freedom to a Southern prison, made one bound into the woods and went back as fast as one leg would carry him, to the Federal lines. He was very much exhausted, and was carried to the rear by some men and placed under a federate cavalry passed up this road, but tree, when, with suitable stimulants and care, he soon gained strength, and, calling for an extra horse, was lifted upon his back, and returned to the field, where he had the pleasure of once more reporting himself to General Newton for duty, and received the warmest greeting from that officer. Lieutenant Davis's delicate little Task. Lieutenant Frank C. Davis, Company D, Third Pennsylvania cavalry, performed a gallant exploit when the army of the Potomac was at Fair Oak station, in May, 1862. General McClellan was very anxious to communicate with the gunboats on the James river; and Lieutenant Davis, with one sergeant and ten men, was detailed for this purpose by Colonel Averill. It was were not in sight at this time. The white Lieut Davis. It was of the utmost importance that the communication should be opened. It people all along the way were terrified at was a known fact that the enemy were the sight of Union soldiers, as this small picketed all through that region, and the party was the first they had ever seen. danger of capture was imminent. A short time previous to the arrival of only by shrewd dodging from point to the Union party at this point, a secession point that the Lieutenant consummated his foraging party had passed down the road; errand successfully. The distance was and the Union troops were now between some fifteen miles, but the party were two parties. In no wise daunted, they obliged to make some twenty-five miles proceeded up the road toward Richmond, before reaching their destination. It was about four miles, through a deep wood, on a Sunday morning that Lieutenant and came out at an opening and caught Davis and Sergeant Vandergrift, with the sight of the river, some three miles in the command of ten picked men, started in distance. The Lieutenant halted here the direction of the James river, to reach and hid his men in the woods, then prothe point opposite City Point. After pro- ceeded alone to a cross-road, to reach an ceeding about four miles, he learned that eminence that gave him a view of the six of the enemy's pickets were posted in country around; while there, one of the Union gunboats threw a shell into a secession party some distance above. Too Brave a Man to Disarm. One of the earliest acts in the great drama of the rebellion was the capture of the United States arsenal at Apalachicola, at the mouth of the Chattahoochee river, by the troops of the State of Florida. In The Lieutenant then returned to his command, avoiding the Richmond road, as it was full of the enemy, apparently. He got a negro, belonging to Mr. Hill Carter, to pilot him down to the landing. The consequence of the weakness of the comdarkey stated that his master had acted as Colonel in the Confederate army at Williamsburg, but he got enough of it, and had left the service. While passing through this man's plantation the old chap himself rode down and demanded, "Are you Yankee troops or Confederate?" war. mand, an entrance was gained. Mr. Powell, who had been in the service of the United States some twenty years, and had command of the place, acted in a gallant manner. After the troops had entered, he faced the line and thus addressed them : "OFFICERS AND SOLDIERS: Five minutes ago I was the commander of this The Lieutenant answered that they arsenal; but, in consequence of the weakwere Union troops. Mr. Carter then ness of my command, I am obliged to surstated that he did not allow Confederate render-an act which I have hitherto troops to come on his plantation, as the never had to do during my whole military gunboats shelled them, and would soon career. If I had had a force equal to, or destroy his house. The Lieutenant as- even half the strength of your own, I'll sured him that he should be protected as be if you would have entered that far as they went. The Lieutenant got an gate until you walked over my dead body. old boat and two slaves to row him out to You see that I have but three men. These the Galena, Captain Rodgers; and when are laborers, and can not contend against about half a mile from the boat he was you. I now consider myself a prisoner of met by a cutter from the ship. The mes- Take my sword, Captain Jones!" sage delivered was verbal, as the underCaptain Jones received Commander taking was very hazardous, and no writing Powell's sword, and then returned it to was given. It was a gallant exploit all him, addressing him as follows: through, and was the first communication opened with the army. The party returned in the night, and reached camp at eleven o'clock on Monday morning, where a warm and deserved greeting awaited them, and the commanding General signified his appreciation of the importance of the undertaking, and the promptness and skill with which it was consummated, by an official letter. of thanks. While the Lieutenant was on board the Galena, a squadron of the Confederate cavalry entered the small town on the opposite side of the James river at City Point, at the mouth of the Appomattox river. Two shells were thrown amongst them, as additions to their number, but they hastily ignored the new company.' "My dear sir! take your sword! You are too brave a man to disarm!" The whole command then gave three cheers for the gallant Powell. Promises of Bravery in Advance. Among the secession flags captured by the Federals in their rout of the Confederates at Philippi, Western Virginia, was a very beautiful silk banner which had been presented to a brave secession Captain, only the evening before the rout, by some fair secession ladies. On receiving the flag, the captain had made a gallant speech, assuring the bewitching donors that it should lead him and his company ever to victory or death; that where the battle was thickest there it should wave; that it should never trail dishonored in the mire eral Beauregard,-who promptly led the -that rather would he spill his life's Hampton Legion into battle. Just at this blood in its defence, and, dying, wrap his critical moment, General Johnston was body in its gorgeous and defiant folds. heard to exclaim in agonizing energy to But, alas! when that unmannerly cannon General Cock, "Oh, for four Regiments!" ball from the Cleveland artillery on the His wish was answered, for in the distance hill went crashing through the camp, this the rebel re-enforcements appeared. The heroic Captain forgot all about the flag he tide of battle turned in their favor by the had received with such exquisite gallantry arrival of General Kirby Smith, from the night before, and led the column-out Winchester, with four thousand men of of danger as fast as their legs could carry them. General Johnston's division. General Smith heard, while on the Manassas railroad cars, the roar of battle. He stopped the train and hurried his troops across the fields, to the point just where he was most went up from the Confederate lines, and by them the battle was won. "Go on with the Fight-Don't Stop for Me." In the fight at Great Bethel, Orderly Sergeant Goodfellow, of Colonel Allen's needed. They were at first supposed by regiment, was mortally wounded in the the rebels to be Federal troops, their arbreast. He handed his musket to a com- rival at that point of the field being so enrade, and several flocked around him. tirely unexpected. Cheer after cheer “Oh," said he, “I guess I've got to go," and he placed his hand upon the wound. "Oh, don't mind me, boys," he continued, "go on with the fight; don't stop for me!" Ben. Phillips, the Hoary Old Bloodhound. and pressing away those who attempted to support him, he sank down upon the An old Virginia trapper of considerable ground. Just at that instant his Colonel notoriety 'in his way,' Ben. Phillips by passed, and looking up to him he gasped, name, and for many years a resident of "Good bye, Colonel!" Colonel Allen turned ghastly white as he observed it. He bit his lips, too much moved to speak, and rushed on to avenge his death. Hampton, was coming up the road near that town one afternoon, armed with a double-barreled gun. Seeing a buggy some distance ahead of him, he slipped into the woods and waited its approach. "Oh, for Four Regiments!" He soon discovered two Federal officers It is a fact acknowledged even by the seated in a buggy, and saw from their disrebel commanders themselves, that at the tressed appearance that they were in no battle of Bull Run, the fortunes of the condition to do him much damage. They day were for a time evidently against hailed him as they passed, asking who he them. Between two and three o'clock was, to which he responded in a way to large numbers of men were leaving the suit his own purpose. As soon as they field, some of them wounded, others ex- passed on, the old man let fly both barrels hausted by the long struggle; some of the of his gun in rapid succession into the best Confederate officers had been slain, back of the buggy. A death-yell was and the flower of their army lay strewn heard, and one of the officers leaped out upon the field. The result of that hour and took to the woods. The other fell hung trembling in the balance. Among forward, and the buggy passed on. Ben. other high officers wounded was Colonel had previously killed, at different times, Hampton; but there was at hand the nine of the Federal scouts,-affording a General whose reputation as a commander good specimen of Virginia Chivalry; a was in the die, on this battle,-Gen-hoary old bloodhound. Western Regiments on a Charge at Fort fire, or in returning fire. This was a new Donelson. thing to the rebels, and in which they were not prepared to imitate. Seeing that our brave Zouaves were comparatively unharmed by their fiercest volleys, they began to give ground, and were evidently panic-stricken. At the battle of Fort Donelson, General Wallace ordered the Eighth Missouri and Eleventh Indiana to retake the hill from which the first brigade had been driven in the morning. Colonel Smith, commanding the second brigade, rode up, "On, men, on!" cried Colonel Smith. and in a clear, loud, ringing voice, gave "Forward, Zouaves!" repeated McGinnis. the word of command. Colonel McGinWith a cheer which made the old hills nis, as calm and self-possessed as if on ring again, and which struck terror to the dress parade, repeated the order, and in hearts of the retreating rebels, the two double-quick the two regiments, the Mis- regiments rushed up the hill, driving the souri in the lead, moved forward. The enemy straight into their entrenchments. hill proposed to be stormed was about a So soon as they were farily behind their mile to the right of the Union position fortifications the rebels opened upon the when the order was given. As they went Eighth and Eleventh with grape shot and forward they met bands of straggling shell. Here several of the Eleventh were soldiers of the various regiments that had been engaged in the morning, and who would shout out hill!" "Boys, you'll catch hell there on the "We were cut to pieces there this morning!" "There are seven regiments there all armed!" etc., etc. killed while lying flat upon their faces. But the two regiments moved steadily and began to throw shells right into our onward, notwithstanding the foreboding ranks. Night intervening, our men were fears so freely and earnestly expressed by drawn back a few hundred feet under the those who were just freed from the field of strife-and not a soldier of the little brigade seemed to hesitate or falter in the least. "No man was there dismayed Take the hill!" Wallace said. brow of the hill, where they slept with their arms in their hands, ardently wishing for the morning, when, under the protection of our guns, which General Wallace ordered up, they expected to storm the fortifications. The ravine was reached, the two regi- Alas! for the poor wounded soldier on ments in line, the Missouri in the lead, the battle-field! Every possible aid was and up the hill they start. When about given them, yet all night long their groans half way up they were met by a most could be heard, and their cries for water fearful volley of musketry, while a sheet and for help. Many of the Eleventh of flame seemed to burst from every bush wounded lay out in the open field exposed and tree and log, and the leaden messen- twenty-four hours to the cold and the tengers of death sped in every direction. der mercies of the rebels, who stripped Our men saved their lives by their faith- many of them nearly naked. ful practice of the Zouave drill-throwing themselves flat on their faces when the rebels poured in their hottest volleys- One of the most daring feats performed loading while on their backs, and never, in connection with the Island No. 10 strugindeed, upon their feet except when upon gle, was the planting of a battery by the the advance after receiving the enemy's boys of the Forty-third Indiana, at Rud Whiz-z-z and Whist. dle's Point, on the Missouri shore-in the self and two others. At first he scarcely very eyes and teeth of the rebels. Until knew what to do, for had the enemy supthey opened fire, the rebels did not appear posed there were no greater force in town to be aware, even, of their new position. they would have retaken it, and perhaps Their gunboats soon fired up, however, to massacred every man. In this strait he attack them, as the new position would cut resorted to a ruse, which met with good them off from an important military depot, success. Getting the bearer of the flag unless the Federals were driven away. Their attack by five heavy gunboats was terrific. So thick and fast they sent their shot and shell that the Union artillery were at times for fifteen or twenty minutes unable to show a head above the parapet to load or fire. The Federal guns, however, were well manned, and though only two against twenty, the enemy finally hauled off. Only one man-an artillery man-was killed on our side. The men in the pits took the thing very coolly. In the intervals between the discharges, more or less of them would rise up to look around; but when the smoke on one of the boats told them that shot or shell was coming, the cry was "Down!" and every head disappeared. Notwithstanding the hissing, screaming and whistling of the shot, round and conical, and the bursting of shells around and over them, they indulged in jests, and many of them were found deeply engrossed in games of cards. The remnants of shells fell into several of the pits. One pit was knocked in by a thirtytwo pound shot, and buried the men in it a foot deep in sand. They kicked out, and laughingly dug their pit anew. Capital Ruse to Save Springfield. Previous to the attack on Springfield by Major Zagonyi, Major White of the Prairie Scouts was captured by the enemy, but was recaptured on the same night by a detachment of Home Guards, and proceeded to Springfield, then held by only eleven men. Of these he at once assumed command. Major Zagonyi. into the hospital, under the pretense that it would be unsafe were any of his men to see him, he told him that General Sigel was in command of the town, and it would be necessary to send the request to him. He then took one of his men outside, gave him proper instructions, and then re-entered and engaged the confederate in conversation. In an hour or so, the man returned, and expressing General Sigel's regrets that, being mounted, he could not return a written answer to the request, gave the desired permission to in the belief that an immense National bury the dead. The flag soon left, firm force were encamped on the south and east of the town. Albert Munson, of Marblehead, was a little hero, fifteen years of age, who could While holding the town with this scant merrily play Yankee Doodle and the Star force, the rebels sent in a flag of truce, Spangled Banner, and, struck by his bold asking permission to bury their dead. and inspiring manner, Colonel Kurtz apNine of his men were on picket duty-pointed him as a drummer in one of the his whole garrison force consisted of him- companies of the Massachusetts Twenty |