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company was graciously entertained, by a strong secession lady, who insisted upon whipping a negro, because he did not bring the hoe-cakes fast enough.

On one occasion seven of Colonel Grierson's scouts stopped at the house of a wealthy planter, to feed their jaded horses. Upon ascertaining that he had been doing a little guerrilla business, upon his own account, our men encouraged him in the belief, that as they were the invincible Van Dorn cavalry, they would soon catch the Yankees. The secession gentleman heartily approved of what he supposed to be their intentions, and enjoined upon them the necessity of making as rapid marches as possible.

As our men had discovered two splendid carriagehorses in the planter's stable, they thought, under the circumstances, they would be justified in making an exchange, which they accordingly proceeded to do.

As they were taking the saddles from their own tired steeds, and placing them on the backs of the wealthy guerrilla's horses, the proprietor discovered them, and at once objected. He was met with the reply, that as he was anxious that the Yankees should be speedily overtaken, those after them should have good horses. "All right, gentleman," said the planter, "I will keep your animals until you return. I suppose you'll be back in two or three days, at the furthest. When you return, you'll find they have been well cared for."

Our soldiers were sometimes asked where they got their blue coats. They always replied, when traveling under the name of Van Dorn's cavalry, that they took them from the Yankees, at Holly Springs. This always excited great laughter among the secessionists. Our scouts, however, usually wore the regular secesh uniforms.

16

STORY LXXIII.

A MULE CHARGE ON REBEL CAVALRY.

ON Thursday, April, 1863, Lieutenant Cushing, of the United States Gunboat Commodore Barney, made a gallant reconnoissance, with seventy-five seamen, and a boat howitzer, from the Nansemond up to Chuckatuck village, about three miles distant from his vessel.

It appears that on the morning of that day, a citizen showed himself on the banks of the river, bearing a a white flag, when Acting Master Harris, of the Gunboat Stepping Stone, sent a boat to see what he wanted Upon the boat nearing the shore, it was treacherously fired into, and one man killed and others wounded.

Lieutenant Cushing organized his expedition to punish this treachery. His officers were Acting Ensign Hunter; Master's Mate Birtwisle, in charge of howiter, and Master's Mates Boardman and Aspinwall, in charge of seamen, acting as infantry; Lieutenant Cushing in command.

On reaching shore, the gallant young Lieutenant confiscated two mule-carts, one for a limber for his howitzer and the other for an ammunition wagon. Proceeding on, he drove in three different vidette parties of cavalry, and when he reached Chuckatuck, which contains one long street, he found quite a large body of the Nansemond cavalry drawn up, and preparing to charge on him.

Quickly unlimbering his howitzer, he threw in a charge of shrapnel, and gave the enemy its benefit, as they sounded the charge. The discharge of the howitzer

frightened the mules in the carts, and they dashed up the street at full speed upon the advancing cavalry, the sailors in the carts cheering and yelling and firing as they went.

This novel charge threw the cavalry into disorder, and Lieutenant Cushing immediately rushed on with the rest of his force, killing three of the Rebels, and securing their horses, arms, and equipments, only losing one man on his side.

He destroyed a quantity of forage, meat, &c., and then retreated in order to his boats, the enemy being reinforced, and showing a disposition to cut him off. In his return, a sailor found one of the captured horses rather unmanageable, under nautical rule, and inclined not to mind the tiller-ropes or steerage-gear, as the jolly tar called the reins. Finding that the animal was determined to carry him back to the Rebel side, he brought him to an anchor, by drawing one of the holster pistols, and shooting him through the head. He then rejoined his companions, very well satisfied at having got clear of such a lubberly craft. The expedition was planned with great daring and successfully carried out.

STORY LXIV.

LIEUTENTANT-COLONEL PHILLIPS' RAID IN MISSISSIPPI.

ABOUT the 9th of August, 1863, General Hurlbut, having ascertained that there was a large amount of railroad stock at Grenada, which the Rebels were endeavoring to get off south, by making temporary repairs

to the railroad, with his usual energy and promptness, arranged an expedition to destroy it.

He sent a request to General Grant to make a diversion from the south to aid the enterprise. The expedition started from Lagrange, Tennessee, on the 13th of August, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Phillips, of the 9th Illinois Mounted Infantry, and reached Grenada, on the Mississippi Central Railroad, on the 17th.

After driving General Skinner, with two thousand men, and three pieces of artillery, from the place, they destroyed fifty-seven locomotives, upward of four hundred cars, depot buildings, machine shops, blacksmith shops, and a large quantity of ordnance and commissary stores, beside capturing about fifty railroad men, and a number of other prisoners.

After Colonel Phillips had thoroughly accomplished his work, Colonel Winslow, from Grant's army, arrived with a force from below. Colonel Phillips's expedition returned in safety to Lagrange, on the 23d of August.

Lieutenant-Colonel Phillips and his gallant command were certainly entitled to much commendation, for patiently enduring the hardships of such a march, through Central Mississippi, in the middle of August, and so thoroughly crippling the remaining energy of the Rebellion in the Southwest.

MAJOR-GENERAL HOOKER.

JOSEPH HOOKER, of California, was twenty-ninth in a class of fifty members, graduating in 1837. Breveted for gallantry at the battles of Monterey, of the National Bridge, and of Chapultepec. In fighting the Rebels, his heroism has been too conspicuous to need any comment.

STORY LXXV.

"BILLY BRAY."

A spruce enrolling officer
Of Salisbury, one day,
On visiting a country house
Found all the males away.

So when the good old lady,
Who answered to his call,
Had given their names and ages,
He asked if that was all.

"O yes,” replied the lady,
"I have no more to say,
For sure we have none other,
Excepting Billy Bray."

The officer was zealous

That no one should escape,

Lest others should grow jealous, And get him in a scrape.

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