carried to an ambulance, and reported dying." His body fell into the hands of the enemy. With the battle of Bull Run, closed the active service of the militia regiments during 1861, the first year of the war; the positions occupied by the dif ferent regiments, upon guard or garrison duty, being supplied by the volunteer organizations then rapidly concentrating at Washington. Mortifying as was the disaster, which befell the Union arms, at the battle of Bull Run, the New York Militia regiments did as good fighting, certainly, as was done on that occasion. Though, like all the troops engaged, they were for the first time brought to encounter the realities of a battle-field, still their former experience in military manoeuvres, and their habit of associating together, rendered them much more effective in service than the early volunteer organizations, which, in many instances, lacked both on the part of officers and men, the requisite military knowledge to enable them to act thoroughly in concert, and with a proper regard to discipline. The volunteers did not want in courage, but were wholly incapable of exercising that cool determination, which long military drill almost invariably imparts to the soldier. In this respect, the militia were superior to them, and possessed, moreover, a certain regimental and State pride, which incited them to deeds of bravery, and prevented their wavering, except when sorely pressed or in extreme danger of capture.

The fighting of the 69th and 79th New York State Militia was, at the time, highly commended, not only by the officers in command upon the day of the battle, but by different civilians, correspondents of the press, who witnessed the fight. Even several of the rebel papers praised the gallantry of these regiments. Had the entire force been composed of as good material, and been led by as brave officers, though we might not have won the battle, it would have been, upon our part, a desperately contested fight, and would never have ended in the disgraceful rout, so galling at the time to the Northern heart.

But, independent of the service rendered by the New York Militia regiments in the field, the promptness with which they first moved to the defence of Washington, probably insured its safety. Had that city been lost at the commencement of the war, though it might have been recaptured, the effect at the time of its falling into the hands of the secessionists, would have proved disastrous to our interests with foreign powers. The moving of the militia regiments from New York, at the moment it was feared the national capital was in danger, and the uprising of the masses to cheer them onwards upon their patriotic mission, gave to the Government the assurance that the popular sentiment was strongly aroused, and in its character thoroughly Union. Political, or partisan bias, was, for the time, overwhelmed in the universal feeling, that the integrity of the

VOL. III.-16

nation must be preserved at all hazards, and that a disruption of the States would never be tamely submitted to by the Northern people.

The alacrity with which the militia responded to the call which summoned them for the first time to the fortress and the battle-field, to protect that flag which it had been their pride to carry upon all festival occasions, the flag of their native or adopted country, and to them the emblem of civil and religious liberty; the alacrity, we say, with which they marched, was, to the Government, the strongest indication that the great resources of the loyal States were entirely at their command, to suppress the rebellion and secure the Union of the States.

The heart of the whole Irish population was bound up in the success of the 69th, and the death of Lieutenant-Colonel Haggerty and the capture and long confinement of Colonel Corcoran, brought thousands of recruits into the Union armies. The Scotchmen too, vying with the bravery of the 79th, in whose ranks many of their countrymen and companions met their death (among them the brave Colonel Cameron), contributed their full quota towards swelling the legions of the republic. The gallant "7th," by its promptness in moving to Washington, when the peril was supposed to be imminent, aroused, among the young men of New York, a military spirit, which led them by hundreds to seek commissions in the volunteer service, and failing to become officers, to join the ranks of the early organizations. Indeed, all the militia regiments which first left the State, exerted an influence by their cheerfully rendered service, upon the citizens of their immediate neighborhood, which threw into the ranks of the volunteers, thousands of young and stalwart men, anxious to prove their devotion to their country and its flag.

That we do not misstate the feeling which actuated the New York Militia, when we say their service was "cheerfully rendered," we have but to look back at the activity and energy which characterized both officers and men in their preparations to leave for the scene of danger.

The little delays and disappointments which at times occurred in furnishing them with proper equipments for the field, were borne with uneasiness and frequently with irritation. Alĺ were anxious to be off to Baltimore and Washington, and those regiments were regarded most fortunate which received the earliest transportation.

An incident is related in connection with the departure of the 20th (Colonel George W. Pratt's) Ulster County Regiment, which shows the temper that pervaded the different organizations. The regiment arrived in New York city from Ulster County on the 28th of April, 1861, with the intention of pro

ceeding by steamer to Washington. On their arrival in the city, they found that no transportation had been provided for them, and they went into the Park Barracks, where they remained until the afternoon of Sunday the 5th of May. They then received orders to return to their homes, as advices had arrived from Washington calling only for volunteers to serve for two years-and for this reason it was alleged, no more militia regiments could be accepted. This order caused great consternation among the rank and file. They had enlisted in the hope of being engaged in the impending conflict, and expected to see actual service. Many of them had given up lucrative positions, left homes and families, for the purpose of manifesting their patriotism and sustaining the honor and integrity of the American flag. On the following evening (May 6), a special order was received from Washington, ordering them to proceed at once to the capital. When this news was imparted to the troops, a scene of genuine enthusiasm ensued; cheer upon cheer rang upon the air; the President, the Governor, General Scott, Colonel Pratt, and in fact every name the troops could think of, was wildly cheered. Colonel Pratt was deeply affected at the enthusiasm manifested by his men, and took no measures to check their outbursts of joy. After order had been restored, he made a few remarks, thanking his regiment for the manner in which they had borne the many disappointments to which they had been subjected, and congratulating them upon the prospect of a speedy entry upon active service. He said "they would come back covered with glory." Alas! how true was this prophecy, how literally has it been fulfilled. He who uttered it, sleeps with the honored dead, "covered with glory." His regiment entering the general service for three months, at the expiration of its term reenlisted for the war,-and upon nearly every battle-field in Virginia and Maryland has the 20th New York Militia been. distinguished for its bravery. Its commander received his mortal wound at the second battle of Manassas. After his death, the county from which it was recruited (the County of Ulster), filled up its ranks, at repeated intervals, until it has sent of its sons into this organization alone, some twelve or fourteen hundred men. As we are considering in the present article, the services of the militia in 1861, it would be out of place to enter into any extended account of the services of the 20th through the war. We can however say with truth, that the regiment has "covered itself with glory," and the battle-fields of the Peninsula, of Manassas, Antietam, South Mountain, Fredericksburg, and Gettysburg, bear most eloquent witness to its devotion and bravery. In the winter of 1864, the New York 20th returned home upon a furlough, and the small band of men (only some two hundred) who brought back their tattered colors,

covered with marks of honorable service, their thinned ranks made up of scarred and wounded heroes, proved how faithfully they had verified the predictions made of their gallantry, when first leaving for the seat of war.

To appreciate properly the services of the New York Militia regiments at the commencement of the rebellion, we must go back, in imagination, to the period when Washington was feverish with excitement, and when the arrival of the New York 7th, was hailed with joy both by citizens and officials. We must note the successive arrival of other regiments, each, in its turn, adding to the sense of security beginning to be felt by the inhabitants. We must watch the alacrity with which the members of the different organizations went to work in strengthening the fortifications of the capital; we must see them laboring from morning till night, digging trenches and throwing up embankments; going out upon picket duty; making incursions into the neighboring country and clearing it of dangerous or suspicious characters; guarding railroads, and entering with spirit upon all the varied duties of a soldier's life; we must follow them to the first battle-field where bravely they enter upon the fight with troops familiar with every surrounding location, and prepared, by a long expectation of this very struggle, to meet them with desperate resistance; we must watch one, and another, and another, of these militia soldiers fall in the dread conflict, until their dead and wounded are counted by hundreds, and then we can realize how thoroughly in earnest were the New York Militia regiments, when they formed the vanguard of the Union Army, in its earliest encounter with rebellion. Though their efforts were not crowned with victory, still their patriotism in offering themselves among the first to save their government and country from destruction, will ever be held in remembrance by the nation and their native State. Their dead alone will keep their record sacred; and, in years to come, when peace once more shall shed its blessings over our land, and the memory alone of our dead heroes shall be left us, certain it is, that the recollection of none will be cherished more fervently, than that of the citizen soldiers, who fell the first victims in the strife.

"There is a tear for all that die,

A mourner o'er the humblest grave,
But nations swell the funeral cry,
And Triumph weeps above the brave.

"A tomb is theirs on every page,
An epitaph on every tongue:
The present hours, the future age,
For them bewail, to them belong."

NOTES ON THE MAY CAMPAIGN ON THE JAMES RIVER.

II.

THE ADVANCE TOWARDS RICHMOND AND BATTLE OF DRURY'S BLUFF.

Ar three o'clock, in the morning of the 12th, the army was again in motion, and this time it was confidently believed that something was to be effected commensurate with the force we had, and the extensive preparations for this expedition. Turner's and Terry's Divisions of the Tenth Corps advanced towards Richmond on nearly parallel roads, Turner on the right and Terry on the left; while Ames' Division of the same corps marched out to the vicinity of the railroad at Chester Station, and took up a strong position facing towards Petersburg. About noon the column on the right, debouched into a beautiful valley, perhaps six miles from Fort Darling. Terry, on the left, struck the turnpike and extended his line of skirmishers to the railroad, so that the line reached thence to James River. Opposite the centre of the line was an elevated plateau, on which are found houses and belts of woods. Here the rebel skirmishers were met. Our line was very carefully advanced; indeed, there appeared to be an excess of caution in advancing the skirmishers of Alford's Brigade; and after some time the rebels were driven from the belt of woods where they had taken position, and retreated precipitately across an open field to another thick wood, bordering Proctor's Creek.

Though there were but a hundred or two of them, it had taken three or four hours to accomplish this! At this latter position, skirmishing was continued till dark, when the enemy retired across the creek to the high land beyond. A road leading from the plateau from which they had been driven at this point was their only means of egress from the valley, as a few yards to the right the ravine through which the creek runs in its course to the river is well-nigh impassable. The creek too, here, is quite deep and very rapid. On the morning of the 13th, Weitzel's Division of the Eighteenth Corps pushed across this creek, their right in the road by which the enemy had retreated, and up the slopes, driving the Rebel skirmishers before them; and the whole Eighteenth Corps advanced and took position on the right of the line, which it held till the battle of the 16th; from the turnpike towards the river, Turner's Division advanced along the turnpike, and took position to the left of it. Terry was still farther to the left, his line extending across the railroad. His left was thrown forward, in a very dashing style, and captured a redoubt and several guns.