approached the regiment rather cautiously, but one bolder than the rest sprang into the ranks and seized a negro by the collar.

A dozen bayonets came down around him, some not very gently. He let go his hold and sprang back again quite as quickly as he entered the lines.

There was a shaking of fists and muttered curses, but the regiment passed on to the landing, just as if nothing had happened.

General Granger, who had charge of the transportation, had issued orders that no negro should be allowed on the boats without free papers. General Baird saw the negroes on the steamer, and approaching Colonel Utley, said:

"Why, colonel, how is this? Have all of these negroes free papers?"

"Perhaps not all, but those who have n't, have declared their intentions!" said the colonel.

The Twenty-second took transportation on the steamer Commercial. The captain of the boat was a Kentuckian, who came to Colonel Utley in great trepidation, saying: "Colonel, I can't start till those negroes are put on shore. I shall be held responsible. My boat will be seized

and libelled under the laws of the State.”

"I can't help that, sir; the boat is under the control and in the employ of the Government. I am commander on board, and you have nothing to do but to steam up and go where you are directed. Otherwise I shall be under the necessity of arresting you."

The captain departed and began his preparations. But now came the sheriff of Jefferson County with a writ. He wanted the bodies of George, Abraham, John, and Dick, who were still with the Twentysecond. They were the runaway property of a fellow named Hogan, who a few days before had figured in a convention held at Frankfort, in which he introduced a series of Secession resolutions.

"I have a writ for your arrest, but I am willing to waive all action on condition of your giving up the fugitives which you are harbouring contrary to the peace and dignity of the State," said the sheriff.

"I have other business to attend to just now. I am under orders from my superiors in command to proceed down the river without any delay, and must get the boat under way," said the colonel, bowing, politely.

"But, colonel, you are aware of the consequences of deliberately setting at defiance the laws of a sovereign State," said the sheriff.

"Are you all ready there?" said the colonel, not to the sheriff, but to the officer of the day, who had charge of affairs.

"Yes, sir."

"Then cast off."

The game of bluff had been played between the Twenty-second Wisconsin and the State of Kentucky, and Wisconsin had won.

The sheriff jumped ashore. There were hoarse puffs from the steampipes, the great wheels turned in the stream, the Commercial swung from her moorings, and the soldiers of Wisconsin floated down the broad Ohio with the Stars and Stripes waving above them.

By their devotion to principle, by the firmness of their commander, they had given the cause of Freedom a mighty uplift in the old State of Kentucky.

The army under Buell was waiting for orders to move, but no orders came. Buell had no plans. It was in the Blue Grass region where there was an abundance of fresh provisions. The soldiers helped themselves to sweet potatoes in the fields. Spareribs were roasted by bivouac fires, which were not accounted for by the regimental commissary in his returns to the general Government. Advices from the East led me to conclude that the Army of the Potomac would, ere long, begin a new campaign, and I hastened once more to Washington.

THE

CHAPTER IX.

FROM HARPER'S FERRY TO FREDERICKsburg.

HE Army of the Potomac was encamped along the upper Potomac from Harper's Ferry to Point of Rocks. It had been reorganised. New regiments had arrived, and it was in superb condition. The Confederate Army under Lee was in the Shenandoah Valley, mainly at Winchester and holding the gap in the Blue Ridge.

President Lincoln visited the army and was enthusiastically received by the troops. Most of the soldiers rejoiced over the issuing of the Proclamation foreshadowing the downfall of slavery. On the other hand, there were officers in the army, notably on General McClellan's staff, who were openly antagonistic to the President's course.

In a private letter General McClellan has written the following in regard to the visit of President Lincoln.

"His ostensible purpose is to see the troops and the battle-field. I incline to think that the real purpose of his visit is to push me into a premature advance into Virginia. I may be mistaken, but I think not. The real truth is that my army is not fit to advance. The old regiments are reduced to skeletons and are completely tired out. They need rest and filling up. The new regiments are not fit for the field, cavalry and artillery horses are broken down, so it goes. These people don't know what an army requires and therefore act stupidly."

Day after day the sun shone from a cloudless sky. The army was ready to move, but McClellan issued no orders. The picket guard looking across the country could see the white tents reaching miles. away. The view from the heights of the South Mountain was inspiring. Daily the wonder increased over the inactivity of the commander-inchief. Again, as in 1861, all was quiet along the Potomac.

Word comes to President Lincoln that one of the members of General McClellan's staff, Major John J. Key, had uttered sentiments which were regarded as disloyal. The people of the Northern States were wondering why McClellan did not attack Lee on the morning of

September 18th, and why the Confederates were allowed to slip away without any attempt to prevent Lee's escape.

"Why," asked Major Turner, "was not the rebel army bagged at Antietam ?"

"That," replied Major Key, " is not the game. The object is that neither army shall get much advantage of the other, that both shall be kept in the field till they are exhausted, when we will make a compromise and save slavery."

The two officers were summoned to appear at the White House in Washington to explain matters. Major Key did not deny that he had used the language as reported, but said that he was loyal to the Union. President Lincoln heard what he had to say and said:

"If there is a game among Union men to have our army not take advantage of the enemy when it can, I propose to break it up. In my view it is wholly inadmissable for any gentleman holding a commission from the United States to utter such sentiments as Major Key is proved to have done; therefore let him forthwith be dismissed from the military service of the United States."

The army present and fit for duty on October 1st numbered 100,000, besides 73,000 under General Banks in and around Washington, yet it did not move, nor had McClellan any plan.

The telegraph, October 16th, flashed a dispatch from General Halleck informing McClellan that the President directed him to cross the Potomac and give battle to the enemy and drive him south. Notwithstanding the order, nothing was done. Four days later General Stuart, commanding the Confederate cavalry, rode down the Cumberland valley to Chambersburg, Penn., burned the railroad buildings, turned eastward to Emmetsburg, made his way southward and recrossed the Potomac at Leesburg. He had trotted around McClellan in Maryland as he had once before on the Peninsula. It was most humiliating to the commander of the Army of the Potomac, whose only excuse was that the cavalry horses were broken down.

"Will you pardon me," wrote the President, "for asking what the horses of your army have done since the battle of Antietam that fatigues anything?"

I chanced to be at the headquarters of General Burnside when General McClellan called upon that officer. A glance at his countenance showed that he was ill at ease. Courtesy demanded my retirement, and I joined Burnside's staff. The two commanders walked away by them