mass at the dead hour of night, to charge on the enemy. who are slumbering in blissful ignorance of what is going on. Our first line have their guns primed, it is the intention when they come to the enemy to fire, and the other lines to charge with the cold steel. The order is quietly given to forward, and the whole mass move into the woods, which are thick and dark as hades. No one knows where to strike the rebel lines; some commence to fire, others follow suit, and all blaze away, not knowing what at, and all seem to be one vast square of fire. All begin to yell and cheer, some go forward, some to the right and some to the left. The rebels open with their artillery, and ours reply from the fields. All is utter confusion, and no one knows where we are going. I find myself with others, charging on some works; we get over them, thinking they belong to the enemy, but we soon find out that we have been charging on our own works, occupied by the the 12th corps, who thought the rebels wanted their works, and they left them in peace for their old friends. Whoever took part in the fizzle in the woods on the night of the 2d of May, will remember it as long as they live. After a while we make our way to the field we started from.

It was in this melee in the woods that the notorious Stonewall Jackson, of the Confederate army, received his death-wound. The rebels themselves claim they gave it to him, but we don't care how he got it so long as he is out of the way, for he was the terror of our army. The details of his death we get from rebel prisoners. When he heard the firing in the woods he rode out on one part of his own lines, and was going in by another post. The rebels were so excited by the firing in the woods that they thought it was the Yankees on the charge. They fired a

volley, and killed one of the best generals in their army. So our fizzle was the cause of doing some good after all.

All is quiet again in the Potomac army, and we lie down to have some sleep to refresh us for the next day's work. At four o'clock on the quiet Sabbath morning of the 3d of May, we look towards the woods and see our skirmishers emerge therefrom, followed close by solid masses of rebel infantry. In an instant we are in line. Our artillery open out on them, but they don't seem to care for anything, as they set up a hellish yelling and come for us. We open our small arms on them and cause some to fall to mother earth to rise no more. They close up the gaps in their ranks and still come on. We get the order to fall back, which is done in good order, loading and firing as we go. Our artillery get to the rear and take positions so as to be ready for the enemy when we have passed them. The battle rages fearfully along the line, and thousands fall on both sides. The whole rebel army is in one solid phalanx and nothing can stand before them. They break line after line, but not 'till they pay dearly for every foot of ground they take. Falling behind a line in front of the Chancellorsville House, we get the order to lie down, which is done gladly for a few minutes rest. The rebels pour their shot and shell into our midst, and many a poor fellow rolls over without a groan. Captain Mason is killed lying down by my side; a piece of shell takes him in the bowels and kills him instantly. Our front line gives way again, and we are on our feet once more, ready to receive the charge of the victorious enemy. The enemy charge on us in eight or ten lines deep. Our artillery opens out on them and then our musketry, mowing down fearful gaps in their ranks. But on they come, and back we have to get again. Here our gal

lant Birney rides up on his beautiful horse and gives the order to countercharge the enemy. We come to a rightabout face, and before the rebels knew what we were about, charge in their midst, making them get back a short distance, and taking a number of prisoners. The rebels follow up again, and we get in behind some works that were built during the day. They charge on us, thinking to carry our works, but they have got as far as they can get, as we hold our works against all their attacks, and about 12 o'clock the terrible battle of Chancellorsville is ended. We establish our picket lines, and all is still but an occasional shot on the outposts. While the fighting was going on in the morning, General Sedgewick with his 5th corps crossed the river and took the Fredricksburg heights. After the fighting ceased on our part of the lines, General Lee stole away from our front, went to Fredricksburg and drove the 5th corps off the heights across the river again, and ending the fighting on that bloody Sunday. Our army is whipped again, and we loose a great many men and some valuable officers. On the 6th of May we recross the Rappahannock, flying ignominiously from the army that we thought would have to come out and fight us on our own ground, which they did. But we see the destruction on the other side, and all feel as though the present commander has too large an elephant on his hands.

CHAPTER XXV.

LEE TRIES ANOTHER MOVE NORTH-THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC AFTER HIM-BOTH ARMIES ON NORTHERN SOIL -SCENES AND INCIDENTS ON THE WAY-EMMETSBURGH-HOOKER RELIEVED-GENERAL MEADE

IN COMMAND.

After Lee's victory at Chancellorsville, he tries another move North to see what he can do there again. We have to follow in his wake and see that the rebel army don't get into any mischief. But it is plain to us all that if some one don't take command of the army that can handle it, General Lee will do almost as he pleases. Oh, why do they not give us back our Little Mac., and then we can feel confident of victory no matter where we meet our old adversaries. But no, if the whole country is sacrificed he will never be called to our command again.

On the 15th of June, after marching across the country from Chancellorsville, General Lee crosses the Potomac and makes his way through Maryland. The President issues a call for one hundred thousand men to repel the invasion. The country North is fully aroused to the danger that is thundering at their doors. Volunteers and militia are sent to intercept the onward march of the rebel chief and his army. General Lee seems to think after he is in Maryland he can recruit up his ranks from the sons of that state, but wherever he goes the cold shoulder is turned to him, for the loyal State of Maryland is true to the Union, and its people testify to their loyalty by giving us everything they can to help us on our way to drive the invader from their soil.

Our army cross into Maryland, in close pursuit of our old enemy. The militia meet the advance of the rebel army, but have to get back from Lee's veteran's. We are now traveling in the heart of our noble and true Maryland, and pass on the march, some lovely country. The fair daughters of this State often sing patriotic songs as we pass, such as the Star Spangled Banner, Rally Round the Flag, Maryland, My Maryland, and other songs that inspire us with enthusiasm to follow up the arrogant rebel army, and chastise them for daring to put their feet on loyal ground. We march by a lovely village, called Taneytown, whose people show their loyality by waving their handkerchiefs and showering flowers on our path. This village is called after the learned Judge Taney, Chief-Justice of the United States. The roads around here are beautiful and macadamized, and we enjoy marching over them very much. Every man in the ranks feel jubilant; we keep step to some song that is sung by the soldiers, crack our jokes, and all feel happy. We pass some nice villages, and at every place we are met with perfect ovations. The next place of any interest is the beautiful city of Frederick. As we near the place we observe some bodies dangling from the limbs of trees. They were rebel spies. We camp around the city, and have nice times. Pulling up stakes we march through the city. The stars and stripes hang gracefully from buildings, and across the streets. What a contrast from that we used to see in old Virginia. As we passed the towns and cities there, we were met with imprecations and curses by the secesh folks of the sacred soil. But here, hallelujas and praises by the good people of Maryland. We pull up at Emmetsburg on the 27th of June. This is a nice village, near the Pennsylvania line. Here is where the celebrated St. Mary's College is sitnated, a Cath