Page images
PDF
EPUB

plan Duroc proposed to Napoleon at Moscow: fried, and he ate on the principle of the Indian, to slaughter, salt, and cat his horses to save his “eat much, get strong!" The tired soldier, who men. Our most arduous and hazardous march had not seen the inside of a house for months, of five hundred miles to and fro in twenty days, rested, after six days' march and no sleep, as over an almost impracticable mountain country only such men can rest when they know the in mid-winter, has been a complete success. Of pickets are posted and the guard mounted; he one thousand men, there were only two killed, taking the Kentuckian for his guard. At suntwo wounded, and six missing-supposed to be rise he was wakened by the "thud, thud," of the captured.

I must relate a little incident of the march coming down the Red Bird, in a country where "corndodgers" are worth a dime. A part of one I have preserved as a curiosity, for its fossil-like appearance, to show what a soldier can subsist on when he is put to it. I think I must have it engraven for Harper or Frank Leslie, with all the finger-marks on it. The "corndodger is an institution; and he is fitly named, as any one can tell who takes him in hand; for if he is mixed up as usual with water and no salt, and well baked and thrown at you, if you do not dodge, and he hits you, his name will be remembered for many a long day, I warrant it.

[ocr errors]

corn-grinding machine, and presently the good dame invited him to sit at the table to the corndodgers, the bacon-scraps, and the corn-coffee, innocent of sugar or cream, so as to expedite him on his way before the children were up to have their remnants of clothes put on them. After he had eaten, not before, his host apologized for the lateness of his breakfast, saying that his corn was all eaten over night, and he had to go four miles to borrow some of his near neighbor for the soldier's breakfast. The soldier donning his load, having received no pay for more than four months, thanked him as he should have been thanked by a man ready and willing to pay, but having no money in his pocket, and with In the western counties of Kentucky saw-mills unwonted full stomach went on his way rejoicing and grist-mills are known to but few inhabitants. to overtake his comrades. The corn is broken into coarse grains with a pes- Where indeed among the rich will such hospitle attached to a spring-pole, or grated on a piece tality, such abnegation of self be found? or of tin or iron punched out rough with a nail. The where among them the man that will contribute country is clear of wind-mills or sieves to clear it such a mite to his country? It is like the of husks; such superfluities have been played out, scriptural widow, who, out of her poverty "gave or rather they have never been played in; but even all that she had." When we arrived at hospitality has not been played out. I will relate Big Hill we were met by a wagon train ladened an incident. The horse of one of my soldiers with rations and corn that had been sent for by yielded up his life on the rugged paths this side Gen. Carter's messenger pressed on before us at of the Cumberland mountain. The soldier was Manchester, on our homeward route, to order the making his way in the rear of the column over train forward to us. When the white-topped the rocks of the Red Bird, with his pistol at his wagons were seen by our men, one universal belt and his trusty rifle, which had done him such shout went up as a glorification for the hard good service at Watauga river (his " Betsy Ann," bread they knew them to contain. To men who as he called it), on one shoulder and his blankets had been roasting lumps of corn meal or of on the other, trudging along at sunset for the wheat flour in the ashes for days, the transition camp, miles ahead of him, and "whistling as he was great indeed, and ere dark the "slow went for want of thought," when a native over- enough" coffee was boiling, the bacon toasting on took him. "Stranger," said he, "you have a the sticks, and "there was a great feast of fat heavy load; give me your blankets" (and he things" that night. Resting at Big Hill a few took them off his shoulder). "You must come hours, with the cares and perplexities of the and stay with me to-night down to my house at march off my shoulders, I had time to look back the Big Rocks." So soldier, nothing loth, acqui- at the beauties of the place, which I had not esced, and they trudged through mud and over done when we moved forward. Here is a tablerocks, and in the bed of the creek for some land four hundred feet high, which was once the miles, and arrived at his clay-chinked cabin, shore of the great lake of which the "blue grass where were his "household gods" in form of region" is the bottom. The sand-stone strata of a wife and a host of children, such as are to be seventy feet crowning this table land has been found in every poor man's cabin in Kentucky. washed into many singular and unique forms, You will almost see the exact counterpart of the each cliff so unlike the other that each would primer-book picture of John Rogers' wife, ex- make a separate picture. In one place there is cepting there will be ten, eleven, or twelve children a genuine mountain, apart as it were. who can just peep over each others' heads in ter had washed entirely around it. The soft regular gradation beside "the one at the breast." under strata giving way was only saved by the The host says, "Mary Ann, can you get supper capping, which, covered with some earth and for this tired soldier?" 66 "Yes," says the wife, trees, once formed an island in the lake some "if you pound the corn," and she handed him distance from shore. Moving along for several four ears, which he soon manipulated with his miles these sand-stone cap rocks are seen in spring pole and pestle in the yard. The supper fantastic array succeeding each other, and you was soon prepared of the corn mixed with water are astonished at the varied forms of them and (no salt, for they had none), and scraps of bacon at the sudden change in the form of each as you

The wa

view it from another point. They are all well "Fellow Soldiers of the Sebenth Regiment: I is worth transferring to canvas, and as they have mighty glad to enjoy dis portunity for enjoying been somewhat noted in these wars, they should dis fust free Christmas in dis world what we live be placed with its illustrations. The quiet "blue in. A year ago, where was we? We was down grass region" possessed a great charm to our in de dark land of slavery. And now where are worn and anxious minds longing for rest, and we? We are free men, and soldiers of the United the old walnut-trees near Richmond, covered States. And what have we to do? We have to with mistletoe until they looked like pine-trees, had a charm of still life in them that was very soothing, lulling the mind into dreams of the Druids and of that olden time when rushing, fiery modern wars were unknown.

THE VOICE OF THE NORTH.

BY JOHN G. WHITTIER.

Up the hill-side, down the glen,
Rouse the sleeping citizen:
Summon out the might of men!

Like a lion growling low —
Like a night-storm rising slow-
Like the tread of unseen foe-

It is coming-it is nigh!
Stand your homes and altars by,
On your own free threshold die.

Clang the bells in all your spires,
On the gray hills of your sires
Fling to heaven your signal-fires.

Oh! for God and duty stand,
Heart to heart, and hand to hand,
Round the old graves of the land.

Whoso shrinks or falters now,
Whoso to the yoke would bow,
Brand the craven on his brow.

Freedom's soil has only place
For a free and fearless race-
None for traitors false and base.

Perish party-perish clan ;
Strike together while you can,
Like the strong arm of one man.

Like the angels' voice sublime,
Heard above a world of crime,
Crying for the end of Time.

With one heart and with one mouth,
Let the North speak to the South;
Speak the word befitting both.

fight de rebels so dat we never more be slaves. When de day of battle come what will we do? I speak for me, and I say for myself, I go and fight de rebels till de last man die. Yes, under de flags what was presented to us from New York, we fight till de last man die; and if I be de last man, what will I do? I hold up de flags, and if I die, den I go to my grave consified for doing my duty. De President of de United States is one great man what has done more good dan any oder man what ever was borned. I bless de Lord we fight for so good Commander. I have no more to say now and evermore — Amen."

CONSCRIPT QUAKERS.- An amusing incident occurred at the Provost Marshal's office at Gen. Lee's head-quarters at Orange Court House, Va. Four Quakers were brought in as conscripts from Loudon. They were ordered to fall in the ranks, in order to be marched to the command to which they were to be assigned. They refused, saying, "We will not fall in, but will follow whithersoever thou leadest." A few persuasive arguments, however, in the shape of thrusts with bayonets, changed their opinions, and they fell in and marched off to camp.

He

THE PRESIDENT AND THE PAYMASTER. One of the numerous paymasters at Washington sought an introduction to Mr. Lincoln. arrived at the White House quite opportunely, and was introduced to the President by the United States Marshal, with his blandest smile. While shaking hands with the President the paymaster remarked, “I have no official business with you, Mr. President, I only called to pay my compliments." "I understand," replied honest Abe," ""and from the complaints of the soldiers, I think that is all you do pay."

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

A corre

AN INCIDENT OF VICKSBURG. spondent relates the following:-A wife who dwelt in the West, beyond the lakes, whose husband is an officer in the army, had not heard from him for some weeks. Two small boys were with him, their only ones. While she sat

CHRISTMAS AMONG THE FREEDMEN. — It is well understood that Christmas was the grand holiday of the slaves on the southern plantations. In some parts of the South, the colored at home, reading a paper, her eyes fell upon a people have this year, 1863, celebrated it with notice of the death of her husband. All the unusual zest. A correspondent writes home about tenderness of a mother's love, all the strength of one celebration by the soldiers of the Ninth Lou- a wife's devotion, nerved her to start immediately isiana Regiment, corps d' Afrique, and tells how for her children, and clasp them to a widowed they met and gave expression to their feelings, on heart. Day after day passed; how slowly let a Christmas day their first free Christmas. After mother tell; how tedious let a widow speak who prayer, and speeches were in order, one man, knows her idol broken in a distant land. Two says the correspondent, spoke about as follows: weeks were past ere she reached Vicksburg.

Three days a sand bar! What torture! At gret at the neglect of those at home took posseslast she reached the hoped-for city. As the boat sion of him. Happy are they who have homes neared the wharf one looked at the crowd, and and loved ones to hear from! While it is the saw her two boys upon ponies, and beside them the father and husband. One long, piercing cry of joy filled the air; the husband flew, rather than ran, and took the lifeless form in his arms. It was too much of joy for a heart overcharged with grief. The strings snapped and reason tottered for a time, to fall, in two days, to the sleep of death.

THE AMNESTY PROCLAMATION.-A few days after the publication of the President's Message and Proclamation, the fact of its promulgation having been made known to the rebel pickets, they manifested great curiosity to hear it; and one of our men consenting to read it to them, quite a party collected on the opposite bank to listen. While it was reading, the utmost silence and attention were preserved by the listening rebels, and after it was finished one of them called out: "Well, that sounds about right. We'll go back to camp and tell the boys about it." Papers are frequently exchanged by the pickets, but the rebels tell our men that their officers do not like them to get our papers of late as "there is nothing encouraging in them."

cruelest of all neglect not to write to those relatives in the army; if it makes them sad and unhappy, how much more must those feel whose homes are in possession of the enemy, and they cannot hear from their relatives."

LETTERS TO Soldiers. -The army correspondent of the Atalanta "Intelligencer," relates the following incident to show how welcome a letter from home was to the soldier, and how de-a pressing it was when those at home neglected to write to him:

ABOU BEN BUTLER.

ABOU Ben Butler (may his tribe increase!)
Awoke one night down by the old Belize,
And saw, outside the comfort of his room,
Making it warmer for the gathering gloom,
A black man shivering in the winter's cold.
Exceeding courage made Ben Butler bold,
And to the presence in the dark he said:
"What wantest thou?" The figure raised its
head,

And with a look made of all sad accord
Answered: "The men who'll serve the purpose

of the Lord."

"And am I one?" said Butler. "Nay, not so,"
Replied the black man. Butler spoke more low,
But cheerily still and said: "As I am Ben,
You'll not have cause to tell me that again."

The figure bowed and vanished. The next night
It came once more, environed strong in light,
And showed the names whom love of freedom
blessed,

And lo! Ben Butler's name led all the rest.

ANECDOTE OF GENERAL SUMNER. - When young man, he was a stage-driver among the Berkshire hills, in Massachusetts, and this is how he happened to get into the army: At a time in "I witnessed an incident yesterday which goes winter when the roads were dangerous, going far to show how welcome a letter is to the soldier, down a steep hill, the stage slewed and turned and how sad he feels, when those at home neg over, but the horses kept on. One of the passenlect to write to him. As I was riding to town I gers pushed out the door on the upper side of the heard a man on horseback hail another in a coach and climbed upon the box, and attempted wagon, and, going up, handed him a letter. to take the reins from Sumner's hands. "You Another man in the same wagon inquired if let the reins alone or I'll throw you off!" said the there was no letter for him, and the reply was driver, with determination. The passenger wise'none.' It was at that moment I noted the feeling between the two men by their changed countenances. The features of one lit up with pleasure, as he perused the epistle in his hand, doubtless the letter of some dear wife or mother, -and as he read it, a smile of joy would illuminate his weather-beaten face. This was happiness. It was an oasis on the desert of his rough life of danger and suffering, and no doubt was welcomed by him as the dearest gift a relative could send. With the other the opposite effect was observed; as soon as the word 'none' had passed the lips of the man addressed, the look of anxiety with which the question was put faded away, and an appearance of extreme sorrow could have been seen plainly stamped on his features, while a feeling of envy at his fortunate comrade was very apparent. This was unhappiness. The song of hope that had illuminated his heart when he inquired if there was any letter for him had died away, and a feeling of loneliness and re

ly abandoned his attempt at interference, and Sumner guided the team firmly till it was safe to stop them, dragging the overturned coach along, and so saved passengers and team. The passenger who attempted to take the reins was General Worth. He was so impressed with young Sumner's sterling qualities that he cultivated his acquaintance and induced him to join the army, and the cool and determined driver made an intrepid commander."

THE BIBLE ON THE BATTLE-FIELD. Among the dead of one of the battle-fields before Richmond was a rebel soldier, who lay unburied several days after the conflict. Already the flesh had been eaten by the worms from his fingers, but underneath the skeleton hand lay an open copy of the Bible, and the fingers pressed upon those precious words of the twenty-third Psalm, "Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”

[blocks in formation]

A REMARKABLE PROPHECY. THE vision or prophecy of Joseph Hoag, which is published below, is so remarkable in the accuracy of some of its details, that were its authenticity not attested by the most respectable and reliable living witnesses, we should hardly credit it. The predicted "civil war," through which we have just passed is not more singular than are several other features in the vision which have been verified.

In his

Joseph Hoag was an eminent minister of the Gospel in the Society of Friends. At the date of his subjoined vision, in 1803, this Society was a unit, the division in it not having occurred until 1827 After the separation, Hoag affiliated with the orthodox branch, in which connection he continued until his death, at the age of forty-five. His ancestors were among the early settlers of New-England, and lived for several generations in the State of New Hampshire, although he was born in Duchess County, New York, but in early life removed to the home of his ancestors. services as a minister he travelled extensively throughout the United States, and he is well remembered by a large number of the old members of the Society of Friends in Philadelphia as a very gifted and spiritual-minded minister. Those who knew him best say that he was a man of great piety and very correct life and conversation from his youth; also, that his spiritual perceptions were very deep and clear, so much so that he was often favored with a sense of the condition of other people without outward knowledge, and, in many instances, known to persons still living, foretold circumstances which occurred long afterward, and of which he could have had no knowledge when he predicted them. A journal of his life exists, in which the author says Hoag " was a man of good understanding, retentive memory, and a mind seasoned with grace. His conversation was truly instructive. He appeared most conspicuous in the gift of the ministry, and the spirit of prophecy." The following is Joseph Hoag's vision as transcribed by his daughter-who is still living-in the year 1805, since which time many duplicate Ms. copies have been made and preserved by members of the Society, as a curious, interesting, and, as the sequel has shown, an amazingly premonitory document:

"In the year 1803, in the eighth or ninth month, I was one day alone in the field, and observed that the sun shone clear, but a mist eclipsed its brightness.

"As I reflected upon the singularity of the event, my mind was struck into a silence the most solemn I ever remembered to have witnessed, for all my faculties were low, and unusally brought into deep silence. I said to myself: What can all this mean? I do not recollect ever before to have been sensible of such feelings.'

“And I heard a voice from heaven, saying: This which thou seest is a sign of the present coming times. I took the forefathers of this country from a land of oppression; I planted them here among the people of the forest; I sustained them and

while they were humble I blessed them, and fed them, and they became a numerous people. But they have now become proud, and forgotten me, who nourished them, and protected them in the wilderness, and are running into every abomination and evil practice of which the old countries are guilty, and have taken quietude from the land, and suffered a dividing spirit to come among them-lift up thine eyes and behold.' And I saw them dividing in great heat. The division began in the churches on points of doctrine. It commenced in the Presbyterian Society, and went through the various religious denominations, and in its progress and close, its effects were the same. Those who dissented went off with high heads and taunting language, and those who kept to their original sentiments appeared exercised and sorrowful. And when the dividing spirit entered the Society of Friends, it raged in as high degree as in any I had noticed or before discovered; and, as before, those who separated went off with lofty looks, and taunting, censuring language. Those who kept their ancient principles retired by themselves. It next appeared in the Lodges of the Free Masons; it broke out in appearance like a volcano, inasmuch as it set the country in an uproar for a time.

"Then it entered politics throughout the United States, and did not stop until it produced a civil war. An abundance of blood was shed in the course of the combat; the Southern States lost their power, and slavery was annihilated from their borders. Then a monarchical power sprang up, took the government of the States, established a national religion, and made all societies tributary to support its expenses. I saw them take property from Friends. I was amazed at beholding all this, and I heard a voice proclaiming "This power shall not always stand, but with it I will chastise my Church until they return to the faithfulness of their forefathers; thou seest what] is coming upon thy native country for their iniquities and the blood of Africa, the remembrance of which has come up before me.'

"This vision is yet for many days. I had no idea of writing it for many years, until it became such a burden, that, for my own relief, I have written it."

THE TRUE BALANCE. Two councilmen of New Orleans were one evening in February, 1861, reeling down to the city hall steps discussing politics, as well as their cups and hiccups would permit them. One said solemnly,

Officer.-Well, Pat, ain't you going to follow the General (Twiggs)?

Pat.-If Gineral Scott ordhers us to folly him, sir, begor, Toby (Pat's horse) can gallop as well as the best of 'em.

Officer.-I mean, won't you leave the abolition army, and join the free South?

Pat. Begor, I never enlisted in th' abolition army, and never will. I agreed to sarve Uncle Sam for five year, and 'the divil a pin mark was made in the contract, with my consint, ever since. When my time is up, if the army isn't the same as it is now, I won't join it agin.

Officer.- Pat, the "Second" (Cavalry) was eighteen months old when you and I joined. The man who raised our gallant regiment is now the Southern President; the man who so lately commanded it, is now a Southern General. Can you remain in it, when they are gone?

Pat.-Well, you see, the fact of the matther is, Lieut. C., I ain't much of a scholar; I can't argue the question with you; but what would my mother say, if I desarted my colors? Oh, the divil a give-in I'll ever give in, now, and that's the ind of it. I tried to run away once, a few weeks after enlistin', but a man wouldn't be missed thin. It's quite different now, Lieutenant, and I'm going not to disgrace naither iv my countries. Officer. Do you know that you will have to fire on green Irish colors, in the Southern ranks? Pat. And won't you have to fire on them colors, (pointing to the flag at Fort Bliss,) that yerself and five of us licked nineteen rangers under? Sure, it isn't a greater shame for an Irishman to fire on Irish colors, than for an American to fire on American colors. An' th' oath 'll be on my side, you know, Lieutenant. Officer. Confound the man that relies on Paddies, I say.

[blocks in formation]

[ocr errors]

The same compliments to desarters,

your honor.

ANECDOTE OF ROGER A. PRYOR. - The following occurred during the attack on Fort Sumter in 1861. Roger A. Pryor, of Virginia, ex-member of Congress, was one of the second deputation that waited upon Major Anderson. He was the very embodiment of Southern chivalry. Literally dressed to kill, bristling with bowie-knives and revolvers, like a walking arsenal, he appeared to think himself individually capable of capturing the fort, without any extraneous assistance. Inside of the fort he seemed to think himself master of every thing-monarch of all he surveyed - and, in keeping with this pretension, seeing upon the table what appeared to be a glass of brandy, drank it without ceremony. Surgeon (afterward General Crawford, who had witnessed the feat, approached him AN IRISH REGULAR.-The following dialogue and said: "Sir, what you have drank is poison took place between Lieutenant A. C. C- -d, late-it was the iodide of potassium- you are a of the United States Texan army, and Pat Fletch- dead man!" The representative of chivalry iner, one of the privates of the Second Cavalry, at stantly collapsed, bowie-knives, revolvers and all, Carlisle, then near Fort Bliss: and passed into the hands of Surgeon Crawford,

"The South's true balance must not be overthrown;" to which the other replied, "Confound the South's balance; try to keep your own.”

[ocr errors]
« PreviousContinue »