ANECDOTES, POETRY, AND INCIDENTS.

ANECDOTE OF GENERAL GRANT.

THE following was told by an officer of Gen

eral Grant's staff:

pains all the while to make loud professions of loyalty. The lieutenants ate as much as they could of the not over-sumptuous meal, but which was, nevertheless, good for that country, and decap-manded what was to pay. Nothing." And manded what was to pay. they went on their way rejoicing.

The hero and veteran, who was citizen, captain, colonel, brigadier and major-general within a space of nine months, though a rigid disciplinarian, and a perfect Ironsides in the discharge of his official duties, could enjoy a good joke, and is always ready to perpetrate one when an oppor tunity presents. Indeed, among his acquaintances, he is as much renowned for his eccentric humor as he is for his skill and bravery as a commander.

66

In the mean time General Grant, who had halted his army a few miles further back for a brief resting-spell, came in sight of, and was rather favorably impressed with, the appearance of this same house. Riding up to the fence in front of the door, he desired to know if they would cook him a meal. "Gen

“No,” said a female in a gruff voice eral Grant and his staff have just been here and eaten everything in the house except one pumpkin pie."

Humph," murmured Grant; "what is your

name ?”

for it, to which she replied that she would.

That evening, after the camping-ground had been selected, the various regiments were notified that there would be a grand parade at halfpast six, for orders. Officers would see that their men all turned out, etc.

In five minutes the camp was in a perfect uproar, and filled with all sorts of rumors; some thought the enemy were upon them, it being so unusual to have parades when on a march.

When Grant was a brigadier in South-east Missouri, he commanded an expedition against the rebels under Jeff. Thompson, in North-east Arkansas. The distance from the starting-point of the expedition to the supposed rendezvous of the rebels was about one hundred and ten miles, and the greater portion of the route lay through Selvidge," replied the woman. a howling wilderness. The imaginary suffering Casting a half-dollar in at the door, he asked that our soldiers endured during the two first if she would keep that pie till he sent an officer days of their march was enormous. It was impossible to steal or "confiscate" uncultivated real estate, and not a hog, or a chicken, or an ear of corn was anywhere to be seen. On the third day, however, affairs looked more hopeful, for a few small specks of ground, in a state of partial cultivation, were here and there visible. On that day, Lieutenant Wickfield, of an Indiana cavalry regiment, commanded the advance-guard, consisting of eight mounted men. About noon he came up to a small farm-house, from the outward appearance of which he judged that there might be something fit to eat inside. He halted his company, dismounted, and with two second lieutenants entered the dwelling. He knew that Grant's incipient fame had already gone out through all that country, and it occurred to him that by representing himself to be the general he might obtain the best the house afforded. So, Lieutenant Wickfield, of the assuming a very imperative demeanor, he ac- alry, having on this day eaten everything in Mrs. costed the inmates of the house, and told them Selvidge's house, at the crossing of the Ironton he must have something for himself and staff and Pocahontas and Black River and Cape Girarto eat. They desired to know who he was, and deau roads, except one pumpkin pie, Lieutenhe told them that he was Brigadier-General ant Wickfield is hereby ordered to return with Grant. At the sound of that name they flew an escort of one hundred cavalry and eat that around with alarming alacrity, and served up pie also. about all they had in the house, taking great

At half-past six the parade was formed, ten columns deep, and nearly a quarter of a mile in length.

After the usual routine of ceremonies the Acting Assistant Adjutant-General read the following order:

HEAD-QUARTERS, ARMY IN THE FIELD,
SPECIAL ORDER No.

Indiana cav

U. S. GRANT, Brigadier-General Commanding

LITTLE EDDIE THE DRUMMER-BOY.

A REMINISCENCE OF WILSON'S CREEK.

name?" "Edward Lee," she replied; then placing her hand upon the captain's arm, she continued, "Captain, if he is not killed ” - here her maternal feelings overcame her utterance, and she bent down over her boy and kissed him upon the forehead. As she arose, she observed: "Captain, you will bring him back with you, won't you ? "

"Yes, yes,” he replied, "we will be certain to bring him back with us. We shall be discharged in six weeks."

A FEW days before our regiment received orders to join General Lyon, on his march to Wilson's Creek, the drummer of our company was taken sick and conveyed to the hospital, and on the evening preceding the day that we were to march, a negro was arrested within the lines of the camp, and brought before our captain, who asked him "what business he had within the lines?" He replied: "I know a drummer that In an hour after, our company led the Iowa you would like to enlist in your company, and I First out of camp, our drum and fife playing have come to tell you of it." He was immediate-"The girl I left behind me." Eddie, as we callly requested to inform the drummer that if he would enlist for our short term of service, he would be allowed extra pay, and to do this, he must be on the ground early in the morning. The negro was then passed beyond the guard.

ed him, soon became a great favorite with all the men in the company. When any of the boys had returned from a horticultural excursion, Eddie's share of the peaches and melons was the first apportioned out. During our heavy and fatiguing march from Rolla to Springfield, it was often amusing to see our long-legged fifer wading through the mud with our little drummer mounted upon his back,. and always in that position when fording streams.

On the following morning there appeared before the captain's quarters during the beating of the réveille, a good-looking, middle-aged woman, dressed in deep mourning, leading by the hand a sharp, sprightly-looking boy, apparently about twelve or thirteen years of age. Her story was During the fight at Wilson's Creek I was stasoon told. She was from East Tennessee, where tioned with a part of our company on the right of her husband had been killed by the rebels, and Totten's battery, while the balance of our comall their property destroyed. She had come to pany, with a part of the Illinois regiment, was St. Louis in search of her sister, but not finding ordered down into a deep ravine upon our left, her, and being destitute of money, she thought if in which it was known à portion of the enemy she could procure a situation for her boy as a was concealed, with whom they were soon endrummer for the short time that we had to remain gaged. The contest in the ravine continuing in the service, she could find employment for some time, Totten suddenly wheeled his battery herself, and perhaps find her sister by the time upon the enemy in that quarter, when they soon we were discharged. retreated to the high ground behind their lines. During the rehearsal of her story the little fel- In less than twenty minutes after, Totten had low kept his eyes intently fixed upon the counte-driven the enemy from the ravine, the word passnance of the captain, who was about to expressed from man to man throughout the army, "Lyon a determination not to take so small a boy, when is killed!" and soon after, hostilities having ceased he spoke out: "Don't be afraid, captain, I can upon both sides, the order came for our main drum." This was spoken with so much confidence, force to fall back upon Springfield, while a part of that the captain immediately observed, with a the Iowa First and two companies of the Missouri smile: "Well, well, sergeant, bring the drum, regiment were to camp upon the ground and and order our fifer to come forward." In a few cover the retreat next morning. That night I moments the drum was produced, and our fifer, was detailed for guard duty, my turn of guard a tall, round-shouldered, good-natured fellow, closing with the morning call. When I went from the Dubuque mines, who stood, when erect, out with the officer as a relief, I found that my something over six feet in height, soon made his post was upon a high eminence that overlooked appearance. the deep ravine in which our men had engaged Upon being introduced to his new comrade, he the enemy, until Totten's battery came to their stooped down, with his hands resting upon his assistance. It was a dreary, lonesome beat. The knees, that were thrown forward into an acute moon had gone down in the early part of the angle, and after peering into the little fellow's night, while the stars twinkled dimly through a face a moment, he observed: "My little man, hazy atmosphere, lighting up imperfectly the

can you drum ?” "Yes, sir," he replied, "I surrounding objects. Occasionally I would place

drummed for Captain Hill in Tennessee." Our my ear near the ground and listen for the sound fifer immediately commenced straightening him- of footsteps, but all was silent save the far-off self upward until all the angles in his person had howling of the wolf, that seemed to scent upon disappeared, when he placed his fife at his mouth, the evening air the banquet that we had been and played the "Flowers of Edinborough," one preparing for him. The hours passed slowly of the most difficult things to follow with the drum away, when at length the morning light began that could have been selected, and nobly did the to streak along the eastern sky, making surroundlittle fellow follow him, showing himself to be a ing objects more plainly visible. Presently I master of the drum. When the music ceased, heard a drum beat up the morning call. At first our captain turned to the mother and observed: I thought it came from the camp of the enemy Madam, I will take your boy. What is his across the creek; but as I listened, I found that

Our drummer-boy from Tennessee
Beating for help the réveille.

it came up from the deep ravine; for a few min-ton to cross his battery "as soon as possible." utes it was silent, and then as it became more The captain asked, "Where are the boats?" light I heard it again. I listened the sound Colonel Weer determined to beat Gens. Schofield of the drum was familiar to me- and I knew and Herron, who marched upon two other roads, that it was replied: "Make them, sir, the quickest way possible!" Captain Stockton took two wagon beds of his mule wagons, and covered them with tarpaulins, and making a cable out of prolongs, was crossing his battery within two hours! The I was about to desert my post to go to his as- next morning the rope across the stream broke, sistance, when I discovered the officer of the and all attempts to get across by swimming guard approaching with two men. We all listen-horses and tying it to mules' tails, failed, when ed to the sound, and were satisfied that it was Stockton drove a plug into a shell and fired it Eddie's drum. I asked permission to go to his across! His lieutenant on the opposite shore, assistance. The officer hesitated, saying that the ran and picked it up, and all things went on orders were to march in twenty minutes. I swimmingly again. A trip with this boat was promised to be back in that time, and he consent-made and loaded in ten minutes! The boat was ed. I immediately started down the hill through in constant use four days, and not a single accithe thick undergrowth, and upon reaching the dent happened. valley I followed the sound of the drum, and soon found him seated upon the ground, his back leaning against the trunk of a fallen tree, while his A BRAVE WOMAN. Captain Boight of Com drum hung upon a bush in front of him, reaching pany H, Twenty-Third Kentucky Regiment, renearly to the ground. As soon as he discovered lated the following anecdote of the war. me he dropped his drumsticks and exclaimed, During the retreat of the army of Kirby Smith "O Corporal! I am so glad to see you. Give me from Cumberland Gap, the regiment to which he a drink," reaching out his hand for my canteen, belonged was in the van of the Federal army. which was empty. I immediately turned to bring One morning, when the regiment was about him some water from the brook that I could hear twenty-six miles east of the Wild Cat Mounrippling through the bushes near by, when, think-tains, they were surprised to see a file of ten ing that I was about to leave him, he commenced men, all of them secesh, marching toward their crying, saying: "Don't leave me, Corporal- I lines, and a woman marching in their rear with can't walk." I was soon back with the water, a musket in her hands; on their coming within when I discovered that both of his feet had been the Federal lines she coolly gave them up to the shot away by a cannon-ball. After satisfying his officer commanding as. prisoners. In accounting thirst, he looked up into my face and said: "You for their capture, she said that her husband had don't think I will die, Corporal, do you? This joined a military company in the Federal serman said I would not he said the surgeon could vice, and had left her alone to take care of the cure my feet.” I now discovered a man lying in house, which lay between the two armies. Eleven the grass near him. By his dress I recognized secessionists had come into the house that him as belonging to the enemy. It appeared that morning and proceeded to make themselves perhe had been shot through the bowels, and fallen fectly at home, first killing all her chickens, and near where Eddie lay. Knowing that he could setting them to roast by the fire. They then not live, and seeing the condition of the boy, he proceeded to dispose of the things around the had crawled to him, taken off his buckskin sus- house, taking up the carpets, and constructing penders, and corded the little fellow's legs below horse blankets out of them. the knee, and then laid down and died. While he was telling me these particulars, I heard the tramp of cavalry coming down the ravine, and in a moment a scout of the enemy was upon us, and I was taken prisoner. I requested the officer to take Eddie up in front of him, and he did so, carrying him with great tenderness and care. When we reached the camp of the enemy the little fellow was dead.

They next perpetrated other atrocities of a destructive and objectionable character, which had the effect of making the lady of the house "furiously wild," as the captain expressed it, and she determined that such outrageous conduct should not go unpunished. She accordingly carried away their muskets to a place of safety, reserving two for her own use, and then going to the room in which they were regaling themselves on her defunct chickens, she informed them that they were her prisoners. One of them jumped up to HOW TO CROSS A RIVER. -Colonel Weer, at seize her, when she levelled her gun at him and the head of his division, arrived at White River, fired, causing him to bite the dust, which lay Arkansas, at night and found the stream impassa- thickly strewed on the carpetless floor. Throwble. The recent snow had gone off with a rain, ing away the now useless gun, she took the other raising the water very fast, and the whole army in her hand and ordered the remaining ten to was hurrying by forced marches to cross the march toward the Union camp threatening to river before it rose, as it was so low as to be shoot the first who attempted to run away. fordable; but, with all his haste, his forces were Having a wholesome fear of sharing a similar fate too slow. Colonel Weer ordered Captain Stock-to that of their companion, they went quietly

along, and were accordingly handed over to the and Burnside. "Eph" thinks a greater General military authorities. On being laughed at for than any of these had something to do with it, being taken prisoner by a woman, they said they and remarked that "it was undoubtedly on achad been wanting to get captured for some time count of the same One to whom Victor Hugo aspast, and were heartily glad that they were pris-cribes Napoleon's failure to win the battle of oners at last. They were entirely sick of the Waterloo." war, they said, and did not care how, so that they got out of it.

UNDER THE WASHINGTON ELM.

CAMBRIDGE, APRIL 27, 1861.

BY OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES.

EIGHTY years have passed, and more,
Since under the brave old tree

Our fathers gathered in arms, and swore
They would follow the sign their banners bore,
And fight till the land was free.

Half of their work was done,
Half is left to do-

Cambridge and Concord and Lexington!
When the battle is fought and won,

What shall be told of you?

Hark! 'tis the south wind moans
Who are the martyrs down?

Ah, the marrow was true in your children's bones,
That sprinkled with blood the cursed stones
Of the murder-haunted town!

What if the storm-clouds blow?
What if the green leaves fall?
Better the crashing tempest's throe,
Than the army of worms that gnawed below;
Trample them one and all!

Then, when the battle is won,
And the land from traitors free,

Our children shall tell of the strife begun
When Liberty's second April sun

Was bright on our brave old tree!

FUN ON THE RAPPAHANNOCK:

One thing is certain, the artillery and " pontoon" could move no more at present. The "meeting" was postponed, and after lying out in the mud and rain for three days and nights, the troops that had moved up the river came back, probably believing that it was "all for the best, but on account of the mud that obstructed their vision they failed to "see it." As we were to have crossed the river nearly opposite our camp, we did not leave our quarters, and had a good opportunity to witness the return of the muddy, straggling mass. The scene was anything but a pleasant one, yet there were many ludicrous incidents connected with it. (6 Eph" and three or four of the "boys" were standing near our mansion, looking at the floating mass of men, horses, mules, artillery, and wagons, when we observed a conglomeration of blue cloth and mud approaching. As it had on a gun, knapsack, haversack and canteen, we concluded it was a "straggler,” and "Eph" hailed him with

"Hallo! Earthen-ware! what regiment do you belong to?"

The figure never paused, but the earth; visible under the visor of a cap, moved, displaying a cavern from which issued the words:

"Don't speak to me! I'm a spared monument! I've marched in mud, swam mud, drank mud, and slept in mud for three days and nights. My colonel and regiment were all drowned in mud. I'm the only man left, and I'm demoralized as

Eph" extracted the leather pontoons he wears from the rich soil in which he was standing, retreated "without loss" to the "sitting room," threw himself into the "easy" chair before the "coal grate," elevated his pontoons to the "mantel-piece," and remained in this position A soldier evidently meditating until we came in. After of the Eighth Ohio regiment, writing from Fal- we had requested him to remove his muddy mouth, makes the following notes on the move-" pontoons" from the "furniture," he said: ments in that vicinity: "That's the first demoralized monument, I ever "Everything seemed to be progressing finely saw. He was probably a brother of the Fire until Tuesday night, when the "heavens opened Zouave we saw over in Fredericksburg the and the flood descended." 66 Eph" suggested other day, and I am inclined to believe most of that the flood gates must be entirely off their his story." At this juncture some one called him hinges, as his sleeping apartment suddenly be- out to look at the new balloon which was going came a bath house, and his bunk a bathing tub. up from near General Sumner's headquarters. Indeed our "brown stone front" came near being dissolved, and the "aristocratic" inmates drowned. The storm continued with very little cessation until Friday morning, and as every hour made the “soil" more soft than "sacred," the roads soon became blocked with an indescribable mass of artillery wagons, and "pontoons," hopelessly stuck in the mud. It was very evident that this "delay of the pontoons " was not attributable to a lack of energy on the part of Q. M. General Meigs, nor yet on account of a misunderstanding between Messrs. Generals Halleck

On his return we asked him "what he supposed the professor saw that attracted him to such a dizzy height so often?" "Well," said "Eph," (at the same time setting one of his soiled "pontoons" down on our boots just polished for "inspection,") "I guess it ain't what he sees while he's up there so much as it is the five thousand dollars he sees every time he comes down."

To-day we rode down to the river to look at the enemy's fortifications, see their cannon and ask their pickets the price of cotton. At Falmouth we visited the ruins of an old bridge, on