66

Lamar is almost continually in the saddle, and employed in very hazardous enterprises. His last feat of arms was the most daring he has yet performed.

He left my house, under orders from Gen. Johnston, to bear a verbal despatch to Gen. Pemberton, in Vicksburg, and to carry a supply of percussion caps to our troops in that besieged city. I parted with him, hardly hoping ever to see him again alive, for I knew that Vicksburg was closely invested on all sides. The enemy's lines of circumvallation extend from Snyder's Bluff, on the Yazoo, to Warrenton, on the Mississippi, and the rivers and their opposite shores are filled and lined with their forces.

He was well mounted, but was burdened with forty pounds of percussion caps, besides his blanket and crutches. He has no use of his broken leg, and cannot walk a step without a crutch; and in mounting his horse he has to lift it over the saddle with his right hand. But he accomplishes this operation with much dexterity, and without assistance. I loaned him a very fine sabre, with wooden scabbard, to prevent rattling, and a very reliable revolver, which has never missed fire when loaded by me.

The family were called together for prayers, and we prayed fervently that the God of our fathers would shield him from all danger,'and enable him to fulfil his mission to Vicksburg successfully, and give him a safe return to us all. I then exhorted him to remember that, if it was the will of God for him to live and serve his country, all the Yankees owned by LINCOLN could not kill him; but if it was the divine will that he should die, he would be in as much danger at home as in Vicksburg, and death would certainly find him, no matter where he might be. I charged him to use his best endeavors to kill every one of the jackals who should attempt to stop his course, or come within reach of his sword or pistol.

The morning following the battle of Yorktown, I had the curiosity to attend the wounded. He crossed Big Black River that night, and the Among others whose limbs were so much in- next day got between their lines and the division jured as to require amputation, was a musician, of their army, which was at Mechanicsburg. He who had received a musket ball in his knee. As hid his horse in a ravine, and ensconced himself usual in such a case, preparations were made to in a fallen tree, overlooking the road, during that prevent the possibility of his moving. Says the day. From his hiding-place he witnessed the resufferer, "Now, what would you be at?" My treat of the Yankees, who passed him in considerlad, I'm going to take off your leg, and it is ne-able haste and confusion. After their columns had cessary that you should be lashed down." "I'll gone by, and the night had made it safe for him consent to no such thing. You may pluck my to move, he continued his route in the direction heart from my bosom, but you'll not confine me. of Snyder's Bluff. As he entered the telegraphic Is there a violin in the camp? if so, bring it to road from Yazoo City to Vicksburg, he was hailed me." A violin was furnished, and tuning it, he by a picket, but dashed by him. A volley was said, "Now, Doctor, begin." And he continued fired at him by the Yankees. He escaped unto play until the operation, which lasted about hurt; but a Minie ball wounded his horse morforty minutes, was completed, without missing a tally. The spirited animal, however, carried him note or moving a muscle.

ADVENTURES OF A DESPATCH BEARER.-The following account of the adventures of Lamar Fontaine, who acted as a despatch bearer for the Southern forces around Vicksburg, was written by the father of young Fontaine :

safely to the bank of the Yazoo River, where he died, and left him afoot. He lost one of his crutches in making his escape. This was jerked from him by the limb of a tree, and he had no time to pick it up.

With the assistance of one crutch, he carried his baggage, and groped along the Yazoo, until he providentially discovered a small log canoe,

chickens and a bucket of honey. He commenced catechising Lamar in the true Yankee style, who concluded it best to satisfy his curiosity by sending him where he could know all that the devil could teach him. With a pistol bullet through his forehead, he left him, with his honey and poultry lying in the path, to excite the conjectures of his fellow-thieves.

tied by a rope, within his reach. He pressed this into his service, and paddled down the river, until he met three Yankee gunboats coming up to Yazoo City. He avoided them by running under some willows overhanging the water, and lying concealed until they passed. Soon afterwards he floated by Snyder's Bluff, which was illuminated, and alive with Yankees and negroes, participating in the amusement of a grand ball He approached with much caution the next of mixed races. He lay flat in his canoe, which settlement. There he hired a guide, for fifty dolwas nothing but a hollow log, and could hardly lars, to pilot him to Hankerson's ferry on Big be distinguished from a piece of drift-wood, and Black River, which he wished to reach near that glided safely through the gunboats, transports, point, without following any road. The fellow and barges of the amalgamationists. He reached he hired proved to be a traitor. When he got the back-water of the Mississippi before day, and in the darkness missed the outlet of the Yazoo, and got into what is called "Old River." After searching in vain for a pass into the Mississippi, day dawned, and he discovered his mistake. He was forced to conceal his boat and himself, and lie by for another day. He had been two days and nights without food, and began to suffer the pangs of hunger.

At night he paddled back into the Yazoo, and descended it to the Mississippi, passing forty or fifty of the Yankee transports. Only one man hailed him, from the stern of a steamboat, and asked him where he was going. He replied that he was going to his fishing lines. In the bend above Vicksburg, he floated by the mortar fleet, lying flat in his canoe. The mortars were in full blast, bombarding the city. The next morning he tied a white handkerchief to his paddle, raised himself up in the midst of our picket boats at Vicksburg, and gave a loud huzza for JEFF. DAVIS and the Southern Confederacy, amid the vivas of our sailors, who gave him a joyful reception, and assisted him to Gen. Pemberton's headquarters.

After resting a day and night in the city, he started out with a despatch from Gen. Pemberton to Gen. Johnston. He embarked on his same canoe, and soon reached the enemy's fleet below the city. He avoided their picket-boats on both shores, and floated near their gunboats. He passed so near one of these, that through an open port-hole he could see men playing cards, and hear them converse. At Diamond Place he landed, and bade adieu to his faithful "dug-out." After hobbling through the bottom to the hills, he reached the residence of a man who had been robbed by the savages of all his mules and horses, except an old worthless gelding and a half-broken colt. He gave him the choice of them, and he mounted the colt, but found that he travelled badly. Providentially he came upon a very fine horse in the bottom, tied by a blind bridle, without a saddle. As a basket and old bag were lying near him, he inferred that a negro had left him there, and that a Yankee camp was not far distant. He exchanged bridles, saddled the horse and mounted him, after turning loose the colt.

near the ferry, Lamar sent him ahead to ascertain whether any Yankees were in the vicinity. The conversation and manners of the man had excited his suspicions, and as soon as he left him he concealed himself, but remained where he could watch his return. He remained much longer than he expected; but returned and reported that the way was open, and that no Yankees were near the ferry. After paying him, he took the precaution to avoid the ferry, and to approach the river above it, instead of following the guide's directions. By this he flanked a force of the Yankees posted to intercept him; but as he entered the road near the river bank, one of them, who seemed to be on the right flank of a long line of sentinels, suddenly rose up within ten feet of him, and ordered him to halt. He replied with a pistol shot, which killed the sentinel dead, and, wheeling his horse, galloped through the bottom up the river; but the Yankees sent a shower of balls after him, two of which wounded his right hand, injuring four of his fingers. One grazed his right leg, cutting two holes through his pantaloons, and another cut through one side of my sword scabbard, spoiling its beauty, but leaving a mark which makes me prize it more highly. Seven bullets struck the horse, which reeled under him, but had strength and speed to bear him a mile from his pursuers before he fell and died. Lamar than divided_his_clothes and arms into packages, and swam Big Black River safely. He did not walk far before a patriotic lady supplied him with the only horse she had a stray one, which came to her house after the Yankees had carried off all the animals belonging to the place. On this he reached Raymond at two o'clock in the morning, changed his horse for a fresh one, carried his despatch to Jackson that morning, and rejoiced us all by an unexpected visit the same day.

A WEDDING PARTY BROUGHT to Grief.A correspondent of a Southern paper, after narrating "the outrages committed by Averill and his band," concludes his letter with the following amusing yet unfortunate incident:

"Few tragedies are without their comic and grotesque interludes. And Averill's devastating After riding so as to avoid the supposed posi- march had its farce. On the very top of Price's tion of the Yankees, he encountered one of the or Eleven Mile Mountain, as it is sometimes thieves, who was returning to it from a success-called, dwells a widow woman, with a consideraful plundering excursion. He was loaded with ble family, including several grandchildren. She

fore his eyes. They even went so far as to stab the bodies of senseless corpses, lest there be some spark of life left in them! A man came to where he was lying on the ground, and raised his ensanguined weapon for the fatal thrust, which he fully expected would end his mortal carreer. He closed his eyes, fairly sick with the horrid emotion, and waited to receive his fate. His enemy hesitated. He lowered his musket, and finally raised him carefully up, and gave him water from his canteen. He was afterwards removed to the hospitals of Richmond, where he received careful treatment, and at last was exchanged and allowed to return home.

ANECDOTE OF COMMODORE FOOTE.-He at

seems to defy the elements of the most tempestu-battle-field. After the engagement was over, and ous height I know of. Up to this elevated position, his friends had retreated in confusion, a company where everything may be supposed to be pure and of secessionists came where they were lying, and nice from its thorough ventilation, a romantic jus- actually bayoneted his wounded companions betice of the peace had carried his affections, and fixed them on a fair daughter of the widow. His aspirations met with the highest favor, and on the very night of Averill's advent their mutual loves culminated in a wedding feast, celebrated amidst the wild shrieking and howlings of the tempest on the mountain. The festivity had progressed to the fourth degree with uncommon energy. The gentler sex were paying their respects to the supper table, and some of the more vigorous of the mountaineers were employing their time with a powerful jig. A famous Boniface from the valley below had thrown off coat, jacket, and shoes, and was spreading himself. Indeed, the dance promised to rival that of Tam O'Shanter, beheld in Kirk Alloway-the locality and surroundings, and the tempest, all favored a scene of no small dramatic effect. But just then-O, untimely event!-the Yankees obtruded upon the scene, and dissipated all its joys, and terminated for the night all its physical recreations. They ate up all the supper-took some thirty horses, ridden up by the guests from the valley below' and carried off as prisoners the male portion of the guests, including the hero of the dance, and, worst of all, the bridegroom besides! To the inexpressible mortification of the prisoners, they saw one of the ladies of the wedding party kiss a Yankee for a cupful of coffee, which he had offered to any one of them who would bestow such a mark of favor on him. The prisoners were marched off, and detained a day or two before they were per-proached him for his neglect to take the pulpit mitted to return, on foot." immediately on his arrival. This incident is illusThus ended the comedy of the terrible moun-trative of the Commodore's energetic, earnest tain raid of Averilla warning to wedding par- character and sincere piety. ties on the border to look out for Yankees.

THE DEAD BROUGHT TO LIFE AGAIN. The following remarkable incident occurred in Dodgeville, Wisconsin:

When the war first broke out, a young man who resided in the above village joined a company commanded by Captain Tom Allen, which was afterwards incorporated in the Second regiment of Wisconsin Volunteers, and was present at the terrible and disastrous battle of Bull Run. The intelligence came back to his family at Dodgeville that he was slain upon the battle-field, and his body left to be cared for by the enemy. The news nearly killed his affectionate mother, and she, with the remainder of those relatives who had been nearly related to him, wore mourning for him who had poured out his blood and sacrificed his young life for his country. This gnawing grief had preyed upon these loving hearts for many months, until they had learned to view it with a species of resignation. What could then depict their unspeakable astonishment and joy, when he walked into the house, hearty and well!

His story is briefly told thus: He had been left severely wounded, with many others, upon the

tended a Presbyterian church. A large congregation was in attendance, but the preacher did not make his appearance. A general impatience beginning to manifest itself, the Commodore sought the elder of the church, and urged him to perform the services. The elder refusing, the Commodore, on the impulse of the moment, took the pulpit, read a chapter in the Bible, prayed, and delivered a short discourse from the text: "Let not your hearts be troubled. Ye believe in God: believe also in me." The congregation was delighted. On coming down from the pulpit, the minister, who had arrived just after the prayer, approached and tendered his thanks; but the Commodore rebuked him for his tardiness of duty, and re

Why?" I inquired.

Charles was confused for a moment, but I pressed the question.

"Well," he replied hesitatingly, "it don't b'long to my perfession, sir; dat's all, I s'pose.-I don't wish I was in Dixie, I'se sure!" continued he. "None o' de niggers does; you may bet your soul o' dat!"

"Where is Dixie, Charles ? "

"'S Norfolk-dat's whar 'tis," was the indignant reply. "Kills de niggers in Dixie, jist like sheep, a-working in de batteries!"

The idea of our contest is fully appreciated by the colored people. The representations at the North, that the slaves do not understand the cause for which the Federal army are moving upon the South, are utterly false. I have seen here and in Hampton scores of the fugitives, and conversed with them; and I have never found one who did

"If the Unioners' get the fight," I said, "what will it do for you?"

"Den we'll be free!" answered all who stood near me, almost in one breath.

"But if they lose the battle?"

"O, den it be worser for us dan ebber," they said, shaking their heads mournfully, and in their simplicity believing that all the issue of the war hung upon the result of that day. - Letter from Fort Monroe.

LIFE IN EASTERN TENNESSEE. - A traveller in East Tennessee gives the following graphic pictures of life in that region:

two little ones are in the house.' They hurrahed
for Old Abe, and we rode on. We travelled this
lonesome road a few miles farther, and came at
last to the crest of the hill, some five hundred feet,
directly overlooking the valley. There it lay at our
feet, extending north as far as the eye could reach,
and at least three miles in width-dotted with
neat farm-houses, and just below us Mouse Creek
Station, with its dozen or more neat white cot-
tages, and one large brick mansion. A couplet
in that beautiful hymn by Heber, as I surveyed
this beautiful valley, ran through my head con-
tinually :
Where every prospect pleases,
And only man is vile.'

6

"We passed on through this valley, and, night overtaking us nine miles south of Loudon, we called at a fine farm-house, and requested permission to tarry, which was readily granted. To the question, Are you Union or rebel?' the answer was, 'Both.' Well,' says I, 'that is a new state of things, which I do not understand.' This was the house of a widow lady, and her story was a simple statement of facts, which we listened to "In Dry Valley lived the Methodist preacher very attentively. When she had finished her named Dugan, (of Brownlow notoriety,) weigh-story, she drew one long, deep sigh, and retired. ing some two hundred and fifty pounds, that I pitied the poor woman from the bottom of my these devils incarnate arrested for his loyalty to heart. She said she had two sons in the rebel the Government, making him walk some ten army, and one in the Union. Her son now at miles through the hot sun, and riding in his buggy home had fled to the mountains to avoid conthemselves. The poor old man fainted time and again on the journey, but there was no relenting with them. They told him they would sweat the Lincoln fever out of him. They robbed him of all he had, and imprisoned him; but he managed in some way to escape, and is now preaching again at his old stand. What rendered the crime more heinous was the fact that his enemies (some of them) were those with whom he had taken sweet counsel in the house of God, and with whom he had knelt around the altar of prayer. What can be more appropriate to this persecuted class of men than those lines of Captain Grisham, of the 10th East Tennessee cavalry:

They struggled, fell; their life-blood stained
The cruel murderer's hand;

They clasped their country's flag, and cried,
"God and our native land!"

Let angels spread their wings above;
Let flowers forever bloom;

Let bays, green bays, spring forth to mark
The martyr's sacred tomb.'

"At early dawn we left our kind friend and his family, and rode on towards Athens. It was a lonesome ride, resembling very much some of the bluff roads on the Illinois River. We passed only one house the whole distance, and that was a miserable log house situated in a clump of pines. As we rode past the house, we were astonished at the number of tow-head children at the woodpile-the tallest of whom was not over three feet in height. We commenced counting, two, four, six, eight; and to the question asked the oldest, Are you all here?' 'Ono,' says he, 'the

the divisions in

scription. Her two daughters now at home,
young ladies, eighteen and twenty years of age,
were divided, one Union and one rebel. For
herself, she had nothing to say-
her family had made her prematurely gray, (hold-
ing up a lock of hair,) and the only wish she had
was, that the war might speedily end in some
way; and when I asked the usual question, the
Union girl stepped into the other room, and re-
turned with a beautiful silk Union flag. If a
rebel officer should stay there next week, the rebel
girl, no doubt, would bring out just as neat a
rebel flag. Such is life in Eastern Tennessee."

How ROGER A. PRYOR WAS CAPTURED AND ESCAPED. Brig. Gen. Roger A. Pryor, during the battle between Gen. Pope and the Confederates, near Manasses, in August, 1862, had the misfortune to be taken a prisoner, but the corresponding good fortune to escape.

He had started off on foot to call up two or three regiments for reënforcements, and on his return found his command moved from the position in which he had left it. Thinking it had gone ahead, he too went on, wondering all the time where his men were, until he suddenly encountered two Yankee soldiers, sitting at the foot of a hay-rick. His uniform being covered by a Mexican poncho, they did not observe that he was not one of their own men; nor was there any mark visible upon his person to indicate that he was an officer.

They accordingly familiarly inquired how everything was going on in front. He replied, "Very

well," and in the conversation which ensued, ball was destroyed by the gradual yielding of learned that he was a mile and a half within the the soft copper plate. Had the material been Federal lines. They asked him numerous ques- more rigid, the ball would probably have gone tions, under some of which he began to quake through. The likeness is that of a young and and grow uneasy, fearing his inability, good not unattractive looking female; and it may well lawyer though he is, to cope successfully with a be imagined that our gallant soldier prizes the cross-examination of such a dangerous charac-" counterfeit presentment" of the southern damter. He accordingly began to look about him sel as the saviour of his life. to discover some means of escape. There was apparently none. He observed standing near him, however, the two muskets of the men, one SKETCHES IN THE HOSPITALS. -One evening of them with a bayonet, and the other without. I found a lately-emptied bed occupied by a large, The colloquy had not proceeded much further fair man, with a fine face and the serenest eyes I before one of them, looking at him keenly, asked ever met. One of the earlier comers had often him to what regiment, brigade, and division he spoken of a friend who had remained behind, belonged; and as Pryor hesitated and stammered that those apparently worse wounded than himout his reply, the Yankee sprang to his feet and self might reach a shelter first. It seemed a exclaimed: "You are a rebel, and my pris- David and Jonathan sort of friendship. The oner." In an instant, the General, who is a pow-man fretted for his mate, and was never tired of erful man and as active as a squirrel, seized the praising John, his courage, sobriety, self-denial, gun with the bayonet, and, before his antagonist and unfailing kindliness of heart, always winding could turn, ran him through the body twice. The up with: "He's an out and out fine feller, ma'am, other now jumped to his feet, apparently as if you see if he ain't." I had some curiosity to beto escape, but he also received from Pryor a hold this piece of excellence, and when he came, lunge that left him helpless on the field. Throw-watched him for a night or two before I made ing down the musket, the General moved rapidly away in the direction from whence he came, and after dodging Federal stragglers for an hour or two, had the satisfaction of finally regaining his command.

friends with him; for, to tell the truth, I was afraid of the stately-looking man, whose bed had to be lengthened to accommodate his commanding stature, who seldom spoke, uttered no complaint, asked no sympathy, but tranquilly observed all that went on about him, and as he lay high upon his pillows, no picture of dying statesman or warrior was ever fuller of real dignity than this Virginia blacksmith.

Anxious to know the fate of the two men whom he had so summarily disposed of, he sent one of his aids the next day to examine the hospitals in that neighborhood, and ascertain, if possible, whether any men were present wounded A most attractive face he had, framed in brown with a bayonet. The aid returned with the in-hair and beard, comely-featured and full of vigor, formation that he had found one so injured. as yet unsubdued by pain, thoughtful and often Whereupon Pryor mounted his horse, and went beautifully mild while watching the afflictions of in person to see him. The man was asleep when others, as if entirely forgetful of his own. His he entered the hospital, but the surgeon awoke mouth was firm and grave, with plenty of will him, and the General asked if he recognized him. and courage in its lines, but a smile could make "Yes, sir, I do," was the reply. "You're the man it as sweet as any woman's; and his eyes were who stuck me." The wounded man was not less child's eyes, looking one fairly in the face, with a surprised when he learned that the author of his clear, straightforward glance, which promised misery was the redoubtable Roger A. Pryor. well for such as placed their faith in him. He seemed to cling to life as if it were rich in duties and delights, and he had learned the secret of content. The only time I saw his composure disturbed was when my surgeon brought another to examine John, who scrutinized their faces with an anxious look, asking of the elder: "Do you think I shall pull through, sir?" "I hope so, my man." And as the two passed on, John's eyes followed him with an intentness which would have won a clearer answer from them, had they seen it. A momentary shadow flitted over his face; then came the usual serenity, as if, in that brief eclipse, he had acknowledged the existence of some hard possibility, and, asking nothing, yet hoping all things, left the issue in God's hand, with that submission which is of true piety.

James GarrabRANT, a member of Co. D., 13th New Jersey regiment, while fighting, at a battle on the Rappahannock, saw a daguerreotype fall from the pocket of a dead rebel. Impelled by curiosity, he picked it up and placed it in the breast pocket of his blouse. Soon he was struck by a bullet and fell. His brother, who was near him, picked him up, supposing him to be killed. Upon examination, the ball was found to have pierced his clothing, gone through the front of the daguerreotype, shivered the glass, and indented deeply the metal plate upon which the likeness was, which, however, it failed to penetrate, thus saving the young man's life, as it lay right over his heart. The wooden back of the picture was shivered to splinters by the concussion. The bullet was shown us with the picture, fitting neatly into the indentation of the plate.

There can be no doubt that the force of the

The next night, as I went my rounds with Dr. P―, I happened to ask which man in the room probably suffered most, and to my great surprise he glanced at John.

"Every breath he draws is like a stab; for