ing under a pitiless storm of bullets, Sumner During a lull in the battle, McClellan crossed the came galloping along up and down the advance river, remained long enough to write his famous line, more exposed than any private in the ranks. despatch censuring Casey's men, and then suc"What regiment is this?" he asked. "The fif- ceeded in returning upon a log over the swelling teenth Massachusetts," replied a hundred voices. stream. Our bridges were swept away; our ar"I, too, am from Massachusetts; three cheers for my was thus cut in twain; and Sumner, with his our old Bay State!" And, swinging his hat, the three shattered corps, was left without hope of general led off, and every soldier joined in three reinforcements. The weakened half of our arthundering cheers. The enemy looked on in won- my was at the mercy of the enemy's entire force. der at the strange episode, but was driven back by the fierce charge which followed.

On that Sunday night, after making his dispositions to receive an attack, Sumner sent for This was no unusual scene; it was the way Gen. Sedgwick, who commanded his Second DiSumner fought his battles. Staff officers will tell vision, one of his special friends and most trusty you by the hour, how, when the guns began to soldiers. " Sedgwick," said he, "you perceive the pound, his mild eye would light up with flashes situation. The enemy will probably precipitate of fire; how he would take out his artificial teeth, himself upon us at daylight. Reinforcements are which became troublesome during the excitement impossible; he can overwhelm and destroy us. of battle, and place them carefully in his pocket; But at this most critical period the country cannot raise his spectacles from his eyes and rest them afford to have us defeated. The enemy may win upon the forehead, that he might see clearly ob- a victory; but we must make it a victory that jects at a distance; give his orders to his subor-shall ruin him. There is just one thing for us to dinates, and then gallop headlong into the thick do: we must stand here and die like men! Imof the fight.

How many soldiers, as they read and talk of his death, recall the erect form, the snowy hair streaming in the wind, the frank face of that wonderful old man, who,

"In worst extremes, And on the perilous edge of battle When it raged,"

would ride along their front lines, when they were falling like grass before the mower, encouraging the fearful, and shouting through the smoke, "Steady, men, steady! Don't be excited. When you have been soldiers as long as I, you will learn that this is nothing. Stand firm and do your duty!”

press it upon your officers that we must do this to the last man to the last man! We may not meet again; but we will at least die like soldiers."

And so Sumner wrung the hand of his lieutenant and bade him farewell. Morning came; the rebels failing to discover our perilous condition, did not renew the attack; in a day or two new bridges were built, aud the sacrifice was averted. But Sumner was the man to carry out his resolution to the letter.

After Fair Oaks, he retained possession of a house on our old line of battle; and the headquarters' tents were brought up and pitched there. They were within range of a rebel battery which awoke the General and his staff every morning, by dropping shot and shell all about them for two For a man of sixty-four, his health was marvel- or three hours. Sumner implored permission to lous. His long, temperate life in the pure air of capture or drive away that battery, but was rethe great plains and the mountains a region of fused, on the ground that it might bring on a which he was enthusiastically fond retained in general engagement. He chafed and stormed: his vigorous frame the elasticity of boyhood. Up-"It is the most disgraceful thing of my life," he on a march he usually quite wore out his staff said," that this should be permitted;" but Mcwith hard riding. When he left the field a short | Clellan, whose prudence never forsook him, was time previous to his death there were few offi- inexorable. Sumner was begged to remove his cers as nimble and agile as he; few who could head-quarters to a safer position, but he persisted spring upon a horse more easily, or ride with in staying there for fourteen days, and at last only more grace and endurance. withdrew upon a peremptory order from his superior.

There was no straining for dramatic effect about Sumner. He never advertised his exploits. He sometimes displayed heroism which would illustrate the brightest pages of history; but he did it unostentatiously, unconsciously. It was the act of a soldier quietly performing a soldier's duty.

At Fair Oaks, on Saturday evening, after Casey and Heintzelman had suffered greatly, and been driven three or four miles, Sumner crossed the Chickahominy at an unexpected point, and attacking the enemy vigorously in flank and rear, turned the tide of battle. On Sunday morning the fight was renewed; many a gallant officer fell. Gen. Howard lost his arm at the head of his brigade, and our triumph was gained at a heavy cost; but Sumner held his advantage.

The experience of that fortnight shows how much iron and lead may fly about men's ears without harming them. During the whole bombardment only two persons at the head-quarters were injured. The surgeon of a Rhode Island battery was slightly wounded in the head by a piece of shell which flew into his tent; and a private, who laid down behind a log for protection, was instantly killed by a shell knocking a splinter from the log, which fractured his skull. There were many hairbreadth escapes; but not another man received a scratch.

During the artillery fighting, the day before Antietam, Sumner lay upon the grass under the shade trees, in front of the brick house which served for General Head-quarters. A few yards

THE CAPTAIN'S WIFE.

BY THEODORE TILTON.

distant, in an open field, a party of staff officers and civilians were suddenly startled by a stray shell from the enemy, which dropped about a

one morning,

I am a soldier's wife," said Blanche, "and dread a soldier's fate!"

hundred feet from them. It was followed by WE gathered roses, Blanche and I, for little Madge, another which fell still nearer, and the group broke up and scattered with great alacrity. Why," remarked Sumner, with a peculiar smile, "the shells excite a good deal of commotion among those young gentlemen!” The idea which seemed to amuse him was that anybody should be disconcerted by shells.

Her voice a little trembled then, as under some forewarning,

A soldier galloped up the lane, and halted at the gate.

"Which house is Malcolm Blake's ?

he cried,

a

At Fredericksburg, by the express order of Burnside, Sumner remained on this side of the river during the fighting. The precaution probably saved his life. Had he ridden with his usual rashness out on that fiery front, he had never The returned to tell what he saw. Still, he chafed sadly under the restriction. As the sun went down on that day of glorious but fruitless endeavor, he paced to and fro in front of the Lacey House with one arm thrown around the neck of his son, his face haggard with sorrow and anxiety, and his eyes straining eagerly for the arrival of What answer did I dare to speak?

letter for his sister!" And when I thanked him, Blanche inquired, "But none for me, his wife?"

soldier played with Madge's curls, and stooping over, kissed her :

"Your father was my captain, child; I loved him as my life!"

each successive messenger.

He was a man of high ambition. Once, hearing Gen. Howard remark that he did not aspire to the command of a corps, he exclaimed: "General, you surprise me. I would command the world, if I could!" But it was the ambition of a soldier and a patriot. He gave to his superiors not merely lip-service, but zealous, hearty, untiring co-operation. It was a point of honor with him, even when he believed them mistaken or incompetent, never to breathe a word to their disparagement.

Then suddenly he galloped off, and left the rest un-
spoken;

I burst the seal, and Blanche exclaimed-
makes you tremble so ?"

news be broken?

"What

how ought the

I could not shield her from the stroke, yet tried to ease the blow.

"A battle in the swamps," I said, our men were
brave, but lost it;
And pausing there, "the note," I said, "is not
in Malcolm's hand."

And first a flush went through her face, and then a
shadow crossed it,
"Read quick, dear May, read all, I pray, and
let me understand!"

I did not read it as it stood, but tempered so the
phrases

As not at first to hint the worst, - held back the fatal word,

half re-told his gallant charge, his shouts, his

comrades' praises,

When, like a statue carved in stone, she neither spoke nor stirred !

He was sometimes called arbitrary; but he had great love for his soldiers, especially his old companions in arms. One of his officers tell a laughable story of applying to him for a ten days' fur-And lough, when the rule against them was imperative. Sumner peremptorily refused it. But the officer sat down beside him, and began to talk about the Peninsula campaign, the battles in which he had done his duty, immediately under Sumner eye; and it was not many minutes before the General granted his petition. "If he had only waited," said the narrator," until I reminded him of some scenes at Antietam, I am sure he would have given me twenty days instead of ten."

He possessed great kindness of heart: he was intrinsically a gentleman. an example which some of our Major-Generals might study to advantage. His intercourse with women and children was characterized by peculiar chivalry and gentleness. There was much about him to revive the old ideal of the soldier-terrible in battle, but with a heart open and tender as a child's.

To his youngest son a captain upon his staff he was bound by ties of unusual affection. Sammy" was his constant companion; in private he leaned upon him, caressed him, and consulted him upon the most trivial matters. It was a touching bond which united the gray, war-worn veteran to the child of his old age.

AN INCIDENT OF THE BATTLE FIELD. writer in the "Congregationalist" tells this: Returning, we saw a newly opened grave. It was for a Michigan boy of eighteen, who had been shot down by the side of his father, who was a private in the same company. The father sat beside the grave, carving his boy's name upon a rude head-board. It was his first-born. I took him by the hand, and gave him all my heart; of- “Well, gentlemen,” said Floyd, "I see you are fered a prayer, which brother Holmes followed still divided, and as I have the casting vote, I with appropriate words. There was no coffin, will settle the matter at once. I favor a surrender but a few pieces of board were laid in the bottom myself, provided the duty does not devolve upon of the grave, between the body and the bare me. I cannot surrender, because the United ground. States Government have indicted me for treason, "Wrap him in this blanket," said the father; and the probability is that if they were to get me "it is one his sister sent him. Ah! me, how will they would hang me. So you see the thing is they bear it at home? What will his poor impossible. I transfer the command to you, Genmother do? She must have a lock of his hair!" I stooped to cut the lock with my penknife, when a soldier came forward with a pair of scissors from his little "housewife." My heart blessed the Sabbath-school child who had made that timely gift. And so, having rendered the last offices of faith and affection, we laid the brave boy in his grave, while the cannon was still roaring the doom of others, young and brave, whom we had just left on the field.

A There was much confusion and exciting debate for a while. Some thought it necessary to surrender, and some did not. It was midnight, and no definite understanding was come to. General Floyd, seeing this, dismissed the council, requesting Pillow and Buckner to remain. The three sat down gloomily by the fire to ponder over the sad aspect of affairs. A long silence ensued.

占

A STORY OF GENERAL GRANT. A visitor to the army called upon him one morning, and found the General sitting in his tent smoking, and talking to one of his staff-officers. The stranger approached the chieftain, and inquired of him as follows:

eral."

66

Well, gentlemen, it remains with us to decide this matter, and we must do it at once. It is now midnight, and if we retreat we haven't got a minute to lose."

"I say retreat," said Pillow.

"I say surrender! We have shed enough blood already to na purpose," said Buckner.

Well, gentlemen," said Pillow, "I'm in the same fix as yourself. The Yankees have got me indicted for shipping guns and munitions of war to the Confederate Government. So you see I can't surrender either; they would hang me as quick as they would you, and if you are excusable I guess I am too. So I transfer my right of command to you, General Buckner.”

General Buckner bowed, but said nothing. At that moment a noise was heard without. The “General, if you flank Lee, and get between door opened, and the courier announced an him and Richmond, will you not uncover Wash-officer who desired admittance. He was ordered ington,' and leave it a prey to the enemy?" to show him in, and the next moment Colonel General Grant, discharging a cloud of smoke, Forrest, all splashed with mud and water, with with a "silver lining," from his mouth, indif- high topped boots and an old slouched hat, made ferently replied, "Yes, I reckon so." his appearance. He walked to the fireplace and re-seated himself without saying a word. After a few moments Floyd said:

Stranger, encouraged by the reply he thus ceived, propounded question number two, "General, do you not think Lee can detach sufficient force from his army to reinforce Beauregard and overwhelm Butler ? "

"Not a doubt of it,” replied the General. Stranger, becoming fortified by his success, propounded question number three, as follows,General, is there not danger that Johnston may come up and reinforce Lee, so that the latter will swing around and cut your communications and seize your supplies?

"Very likely," was the cool reply of the General, as he knocked the ashes from the end of his cigar with his little finger.

Stranger, horrified at the awful fate about to befall General Grant and the army, made his exit and hastened to Washington to communicate the "news."

"Well, Colonel, have you anything important to communicate that you come here at this late hour, or has your curiosity led you to pay us this visit in order to find out what we have decided upon?"

"Both," replied Forrest, dryly; then rising from his chair, he said:

"But is it possible, gentlemen, as I have already heard whispered this night, that you intend to surrender?"

"Yes," was the reply. "We have just arrived at that conclusion."

"But," said Forrest, "there is no occasion for it, gentlemen; the whole army can easily escape without the loss of a man; not an hour ago I crossed the river on my horse where it was not waist deep. I crossed it going on horseback, and waded it coming back. It is free from Yankee pickets also, and there is no danger to be feared."

66 Yes; but, Colonel," said General Floyd," my scouts have reconnoitred the entire river, and an officer who arrived not half an hour ago told me