horse, galloped through the bottom up and brought them off amid the tears and the river; but the Federals sent a shower lamentations of the affianced' and her of ball after him, two of which wounded friends. Through by-roads the unlucky his right hand, injuring four of his fingers. Colonel was brought safely to camp, and One grazed his right leg, cutting two holes was soon on his way, with a letter of inthrough his pantaloons, and another cut troduction, to head-quarters. The prisonthrough one side of the sword scabbard. er nearly ground up a fine set of natural Seven bullets struck the horse, which teeth when he learnt that his amours had reeled under him, but had strength and been broken in upon, and his capture efspeed enough to bear him a mile from his fected, by a single soldier, armed no betpursuers, before he fell and died. Fon- ter than himself. Alas! that war should tain then divided his clothes and arms into have no respect even for the tender two packages, and swam Big Black River passion! safely. He did not walk far before a lady supplied him with the only horse she had. On this he reached Raymond at two o'clock in the morning, changed his horse for a fresh one, carried his dispatch to Jackson that morning, and landed safely down home again. Fierce Artillery Duel. Probably one of the most spirited and hotly contested artillery duels of the war was the fight, one Friday afternoon in June, 1864, between Battery D, First Ohio, Captain Cockerell, and the enemy in Georgia, who had just got into position on the Marietta road,-as the enemy fell back behind his works. For over two hours these antagonistic batteries, within six hundred yards of each other, kept up an incessant fire of shell and shot, during which Captain Cockerell threw at the enemy a full supply of ammunition, emptying his limbers and caissons. His guns were protected by the crest of the hill, his horses, also, being under cover. The rebel finally gave up to superior metal, moral and physical, and yielded the contest. No Respect for the Tender Passion. When the Third Massachusetts cavalry was at Louisiana, Private C. P. Philbrick, of that regiment, rode out alone one day, within the enemy's lines, and captured a rebel Colonel, with an audacity that put chivalry to an immense disadvantage. Colonel Bradford was visiting his lovely affianced, at a plantation house four miles from Jackson, where he supposed himself entirely safe in her agreeable company, for the rebel pickets were right within call. Philbrick, however, late at night, stole into the negro quarters, and learned Meantime, the Thirteenth New York from the slaves, who were always friendly, Independent Battery of light twelves, conall that he wished to know. Quietly fast- nected with General Geary's division of ening his horse, he crept to the front door, Hooker's corps, was brought forward down burst it open, and pistol in hand, astonish- the hill upon the run, and advanced to the ed the assembled party with the sight of top of a ridge confronting the enemy's a Union soldier on the rampage. The works at a distance of four hundred yards, scout thundered out his orders to an im- in fact on the very skirmish line. Here, aginary company, through the back win- sinking their guns so as partially to find dow, kicked over the whist table, smash- protection under the hill, Captain Wheeing the goblets and a bottle of "Widow ler and Lieutenant Bundy kept up a steady Cliquot" that had probably paid recent cannonade on the enemy's battery of eight duty at Baton Rouge, disarmed the Colonel guns on the opposite crest, doing terrible and took both him and his servant prison- execution, cutting down whole forest trees, ers, mounted them on their own horses, knocking away the logs and earthworks, killing the rebel gunners, and so disabling not wait to gather up their blankets or them that they were compelled to detail guns, but made the fastest pedestrian time men from the ranks to supply gunners. At one or two of the enemy's eight gun battery all the men but two were killed, and they crawled into a hole from the dreadful, annihilating fire. Midnight Charge of the Mule Brigade. on record back to the main force, leaving upon the field, for the mule brigade, over one thousand stand of arms, among which were three hundred new Enfield rifles, blankets, small arms, knapsacks, etc. Meantime, our teamsters had given the alarm, and a force was sent out for the recovery of the mules, and in a few hours the expedition, inaugurated by the mules, returned to our lines with the valuable spoils. During the advance of General Hooker's command upon the enemy, near Lookout Mountain, an incident occurred which caused much merriment at the expense of This midnight charge of the mule brigthe rebels. Hooker moved on Lookout ade is well worthy of a place in history. Mountain very cautiously from the west Through its aid a large amount of valuable side; and it was while engaged in the stores and arms was secured, and Hooker movement up the valley, that a great stam- was enabled to push his advance much pede among the mules took place. It was in the dead of night, when both armies were resting from the fatigues of the previous day, and the sentinel's tread was the only sound that disturbed the universal quiet. Rushing from the wagons, to the number of about thirty, the mules made for the enemy's lines like frightened sheep. The drivers were awakened by the noise, just in time to witness the disappearance of the animals through our advanced pickets. The enemy's pickets were not caught napping. Hearing the mule brigade tearing across the valley, they mistook them for Yankee cavalry charging, discharged their muskets at the supposed 'Yanks,' and fell back upon a battalion stationed a little in the rear of them, with the cry that the enemy was upon them. nearer the point of ground contended for. Won his Wager. A Seneca Indian, belonging to the fourteenth New York artillery, made a bet that he would capture a rebel sharpshooter who was in a tree in front of our line in Virginia. He enveloped himself in pine boughs till he looked like a tree, and by Won his Wager. The battalion, partaking of the alarm, sprang to arms only in time to hear the sound of the frightened mules, whose race was not checked by the volley from the pickets. They retreated also a short distance to a point where a whole rebel brig- slow movements advanced near the sharpade had stacked their arms, and were shooter's roost. Here, Indian like, he pacalmly dreaming of home and battle scenes. tiently waited until his prey had emptied In rushed the battalion, more dead than his piece at one of our men, when he sudalive from fright, with the exclamation-denly brought his musket to bear upon the "Hooker has surprised us; his cavalry is reb, giving him no time to reload. The upon us!" The valiant sons of Mars did sharpshooter was taken at a disadvantage. To the command to come down he readily moon's disc. There, for an instant, was assented, when the Indian triumphantly the regiment, colors and gleaming arms in marched him a prisoner into camp, and won his wager. No Dead Cavalry-Men. bold relief and motionless-a regiment transferred to heaven! And there was the moon, a great medallion struck in the twinkling of an eye, as if in honor of that deathless day. The General's eye Very obliging Picket at Morris Island. An anecdote is told of General Hooker, which shows that his opinion of one branch brightened at the sight. Even there and of the military service was just right. then it was something to be thought of; Soon after he assumed command of the to be seen but a moment-to be rememArmy of the Potomac, he summoned to bered forever. head-quarters all the principal cavalry officers in his command, twenty-five or thirty in number. Arranged in a semicircle facing him, he addressed them after curred on picket one night at Morris this manner, very coolly and with low Island. During the night a man named voice at first, but warming as he proceeded:-"Gentlemen: I have called you together to consult with you in regard to the cavalry arm of the service. I think it should be, and may be, made more efficient. It seems to me to be at present a very costly show-very expensive and very useless. Why, gentlemen," moving up and taking a step forward-"I'll be if I have ever seen or have ever heard of a dead cavalry-man!" Sheridan and the Moonlight Picture. Henry Grand, of Company E, One Hundredth New York regiment, was killed while in discharge of his duty, and his body lay between the lines. Captain Ayres of the Third Rhode Island, shortly after the event had been made known, leaped upon the top of the last parallel and shouted to a rebel picket, "Here, you; we have a man killed out there and want to bring his body in." "Well,” replied the rebel, "three of you may come over for it." Whereupon Captain Ayres started with three men, making, including himself, The night after the battle of Mission four altogether. The rebel observing four Ridge, General Sheridan went in pursuit men approaching him cried out before they of the flying enemy, and met with a sharp had proceeded far, "Halt." The comresistance near Chickamauga Station, some mand having been complied with, the rebel two miles beyond the Ridge. At about continued thus :-" I said but three might seven o'clock of that November evening come over-one must go back." Captain he sent a regiment to take possession of a Ayres then returned, and was followed little promontory jutting out into the val- soon after by the three men bearing the ley, which would give him a vast advant- dead body of their comrade. The rebel age. The musketry were briskly playing was certainly very obliging, and what moall the while, time was precious, the positive prompted him to extend such a privition important, the regiment a long time lege could not be easily accounted for. executing the movement, and Sheridan, New York Regiment. anxious and impatient, was watching Incident of the One Hundred and Nineteenth the sky line to see the troops emerge from the shadows and move along the clear-cut There was a small detachment of the crest of the promontory. The moon, then One Hundred and Nineteenth New York near the full, had just risen above the edge which had advanced close up to the eneof the hill, when the battalions moved out my-so close that they had been compelled of the darkness, and exactly across the to halt for the time and throw up light breastworks of logs as a defence. By same time showing his arm. Sullivan some untoward mistake a party of twelve was taken up and carried back with the or fifteen men were ordered to advance retreating force. He died before leaving beyond these works on picket duty. Alexandria, but his heroism was shown Though knowing that it was almost to the last. A handkerchief was bound certain death to show their heads above upon his arm, near the shoulder, to check, the walls of their little fort, still they in a measure, the flow of blood. This obeyed without question or hesitation. rude bandage Sullivan himself adjusted They had advanced scarcely more than a several times, tightening it to check the rod beyond their comrades, when a heavy blood, and again loosening it when the volley of musketry prostrated to the pain became too great. While he was ground every man save two. Two were lying in this condition, some of his comkilled instantly, and the rest wounded rades approached, and one asked, “Dan, more or less severely. All of the wound- how do you feel?" "Boys," said the ed, however, were able to drag themselves young hero, lifting with the other hand back and escape, except one poor fellow, his shattered arm, and then laying it gently Sergeant Guider, who was so badly wound- down, "Boys, I'm for the Union still!" ed that he could not stir from his place. Poor Dan died very soon after, but his There he lay almost within arm's length last words were a mighty spell and watchof his comrades, and yet they were pow- word to his comrades. erless to rescue him or give him aid, so galling was the rebel fire. One bolder Emphatically a Bootless Undertaking. than the rest made the hazardous attempt; In the earlier days of the rebellion there but scarcely had he got over the breast- lived in southeastern Missouri one Ogilvie works when he fell severely wounded. B. Young. He was a wild, graceless, They endeavored to allay his raging thirst Southern cavalier, who plunged madly into by throwing to him canteens of water, and the first waves of rebellion, and, while even one of those was pierced by a rebel Sterling Price was yet a Union General, bullet. and Claiborne F. Jackson a loyal Governor, Finally, as they could not go over the dared to avow and advocate opinions of breastworks, they dug a way under them the most ultra Southern character. Finewith no other implements than their bayo- drawn theoretical arguments on the right nets, and through this, two men crawled and duty of secession were spread before and succeeded in reaching him unhurt. the people of the State, in column after colJust as they reached him, their comrades umn of letters published in newspapers, in the rear gave an exulting cheer, which and to which was attached the full signaelicited from the rebels another volley. ture, "Ogilvie Byron Young." He was A fatal ball pierced the poor fellow's sent to the Missouri State Convention; and breast for a second time, and he had only though the State did not secede, he did. breath to murmur feebly to his rescuers, "Now I die content-I am in your hands," and expired." In the fall of 1861 he was arrested in Cincinnati as a spy, but escaped convic tion; and the same thing, with a similar result, occurred at Covington. In Novem"Boys, I'm for the Union Still." ber, 1862, he was in Nashville, as a paDaniel Sullivan, of the Ohio volunteers, roled prisoner, but acting all the while as had his arm shattered by a ball, when the a smuggler and spy. But about the last Federal troops were surprised at Vienna. of that month, Young was introduced to This was the brave boy, who, when ordered a gentleman who represented himself as a to fall in, replied, "I wish I could," at the hostage for the return of certain loyal This plan was agreed to, and Young was to assist in the execution of it,-in return for which, he was to be placed in a high position at Richmond. The reputation of Young, however, was not of the best, and the bootmaker would do nothing Mississippians captured at Iuka, and treat- of a boot, which would be made for them ed by Price as traitors, contrary to the by a bootmaker of the city in the employ terms of the cartel between the Federal of the Confederate Government. His and Confederate authorities. At first name was C. J. Zeutzschell, and his shop he was shy and suspicious, but was finally was on Union street. convinced that his new acquaintance was really what he purported to be, and heartily entered into all his plans for the advancement of the Confederate cause. As his confidence grew stronger, he remarked that he had been of more benefit to the South, as a spy, than any brigade of rebel for him, when called upon, without first soldiers. He had encouraged desertions in the Federal camps, and made out paroles in the names of Morgan and Kirby Smith; The business was getting a little danger- Accordingly, Zeutzschell went to his ous now, however, and he should get be- room one evening and said that Young yond the lines as soon as possible. He had been to his house and wished him to would have gone long ago, only that he make a pair of boots and to secrete some had expected to be saved the trouble and important documents in them so as to deexpense of the trip by the fall of Nash-fy detection. He had no confidence in Young's honor, and did not wish to do it making inquiry among his friends and consulting with the hostage, for whom the boots were wanted. ville. The Iuka hostage then informed him for him. He knew him as identified with that Mrs. Major Ranney, wife of Major the Confederates, indeed, but he was a Ranney, of the Sixth Texas regiment, was bad man, low in his habits and associates, in the city, under his charge, and just re- never had any money, &c. He, Zeutzsturned from Europe, whither she had been chell, had been inquiring of the friends of on diplomatic business for the Confederate the South-undoubted secessionists, conGovernment. She had in her possession cerning him (the Iuka hostage), and was very important despatches, and was anx- convinced that he was a gentleman and ious to get safely through the lines with true southerner. He would do anything them. Young said, in reply, that he would to promote the cause,-money was no obbring his influence to bear upon the army ject, he would lay down his life for it. officials in her favor, but in case she should If Young could be thrown off the track, be searched it would be well to provide for such a contingency. There was, he said, in the city, a man by the name of Thompson, ostensibly a citizen, but really a rebel Lieutenant in Bragg's army, and then acting as a spy. He had made the trip through the lines ten or twelve times, and could do it again. He was then engaged in drawing a map of the fortifications around Nashville and procuring information as to the number of the troops, &c., which should be forthcoming in due season. These secret despatches of Mrs. Ranney's, together with the map and other papers, could be hidden in the heel asked the hostage. he would make the boots and secrete in them a map of the fortifications about Nashville. His brother-in-law, Harris, would go out and see if any new ones had been erected. If not, he had a perfect plan of them in his head, to prove which he immediately sat down and drafted one. He remarked that he had recently sent several such to General Morgan. He had made the boots for all the spies in the same way, and not one had ever been detected. He had sent valuable information in a common pipe. "Can you get a pass for your man?" |