have drawn tears from the iron warrior to whom it was pro sented. The officer added that misfortunes of his affianced had only the more endeared her to him, and this manifestation of her disinterested love and spirit had only inspired a stronger affection for so noble a woman. He desired a still further holiday that he might go to her and marry her, proving that his love was as pure as her own, and by making her his wife, endow his property upon her in case he was made the victim of a bullet. General Bragg sent directions to his bureau officer to send him the communication so soon as it should arrive, and regardless of the indorsement of "disapproved," made by officers unaware of the circumstances, he marked it "Granted for thirty days," and indorsed upon the letter: "The lady is worthy the best and bravest soldier, and from what I learn I believe you are worthy of the lady. "BRAXTON BRAGG." ANECDOTES OF GENERAL MAGRUDER. JUST after the battle of Williamsburg, General Magruder and his staff stopped at the house of a widow lady on the road, and engaged dinner. Soon after their arrival a Louisiana soldier came up, and accosted the landlady with: "Madam, can I get dinner?" "Yes, sir," was the reply; "but as I am preparing dinner for General Magruder and staff, and have not room at my table for more, you will have to wait for a second table." "Very well, ma'am. Thank you," said the soldier, taking his seat in a position to command a view of the dining-room. Watching the movements of the servants, he waited until the feast was on the table, and while his hostess proceeded to the parlor to announce dinner to her distinguished guests, he entered the dining-room, and, seating himself at the table, awaited further developments, trusting to his impudence to get him out of the scrape. Upon the entrance of the party of officers, there were found to be seats for all but one, and one politely returned to the parlor to wait. The General took a seat next to the soldier, and, after the first course was finished, turned to him. and asked: "Sir, have you any idea with whom you are dining?" "No," coolly replied the soldier; 'I used to be very particular on that score; but since I turned soldier, I don't care whom I eat with, so that the victuals are clean." The joke was so good that Magruder laughed heartily at it, and even paid for the soldier's dinner, and sent him on his way. Another story, which is not so reliable, is as follows: Among the men who composed the gallant little "Army of the Peninsula," was one private Winship Stedman, a member of a North Carolina regiment. Stedman being fond of his "glass," and being depressed at the deprivation of it, to which army discipline forced him to submit, several times complained that he did not think it fair that General Magruder should drink all the liquor in Yorktown. One day, after Stedman had performed an act of great gallantry, in the scouting party from Bethel Church, he was commanded to appear before the General, and the order was enforced by a section of soldiers. He was unable to decide whether he was to be shot or reprimanded, until he reached the General'a tent, and was sternly addressed thus: "Private Stedman, I understand that you have said that Old Magruder drinks all the liquor in Yorktown, and wont let you have a drop. You shall say so no longer, sir. Walk in and take a drink. I commend you for your bravery." GENERAL BRAGG'S ARMY. GENERAL BRAGG's rigid discipline and many reverses seriously affected his popularity with his men. While his troops were on the retreat from Murfreesboro', ragged, hungry, and weary, they straggled along the road for miles, with an eye to their own comfort, but a most unmilitary neglect of rules and regulations. Presently one of them espied, in the woods near by, a miserable broken down mule, which he at once scized and proceeded to put to his use, by improvising, from stray pieces of rope, a halter and stirrups. This done, he mounted, with grim satisfaction, and pursued his way. He was a wild Texas tatterdemalion, bareheaded, barefooted, and wore, in lieu of a coat, a rusty-looking hunting-shirt. With hair unkempt, beard unshorn, and face unwashed, his appearance was grotesque enough; but, to add to it, he drew from some receptacle his corncob pipe, and made perfect his happiness by indulging in a comfortable smoke. While thus sauntering along, a company of bestarred and bespangled horsemen-General Bragg and staff-rode up, and were about to pass on, when the rather unusual appearance of the man attracted their notice. The object of their attention, however, apparently neither knew nor cared to know them, but looked and smoked ahead with careless indifference. "Who are you?" asked the Major-General. "Where are you going?" "I don't know." "Where do you belong?" "Don't belong anywhere." "Don't you belong to Bragg's army {" "Bragg's army! Bragg's army!" replied the chap. "Why, he's got no army! One half of it he shot in Kentucky, and the other half has just been whipped to death at Murfreesboro'." Bragg asked no more questions, but turned and spurred away. AN INCIDENT UNDER A FLAG OF TRUCE. THE late war witnessed many instances in which brother was unwittingly arrayed against brother, and father against son in the same battle. The following is an illustration of this, and is taken from a Northern newspaper. "Lieutenant-Commander H. A. Adams, Jr., United States Navy, has arrived at New Orleans, having been relieved of the command of the United States forces in Mississippi Sound by Lieutenant-Commander Green. He recently sent his boat on shore, and desired the officer in charge to say that if any military officer received the flag, he would be glad to see him on board to arrange the business of the truce. As the boat returned, he saw an officer who appeared to recognize him, but he could not make out who he was. When the boat came alongside he went to the gangway to receive the stranger, and even helped him over the rail on deck, when he immediately found himself clasped in the arms of his own brother-one in command of the Confederate forces on shore, the other in command of the United States, forces afloat. The meeting, under such circumstances, was, as you may imagine, a very painful one. After the business was over, and a brotherly chat had, they parted, the Confederate saying, as he got into the boat, 'Whatever happens, IIal, recollect one thing-we will always be brothers.' Both are sons of Commodore Adams, United States Navy." A SABLE PHILOSOPHER. THE correspondent of one of the Northern newspapers, in letter published during the war, thus humorously describes his interview with a straggler from a negro regiment of the Federal army, with whom he was remonstrating for having shown the white feather in battle: "Were you in the fight?" "Had a little taste of it, sa." "Stood your ground, did you?" "No, sa, I runs !" "Run at the first fire, did you?" "Yes, sa, and I would have run soona had I knoad it war coming." "Why, that wasn't very creditable to your courage." |