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 a 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 express ed 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 moments the drum was produced, and our fifer, a tall, round-shouldered, good-natured fellow, from the Dubuque mines, who stood, when erect, something over six feet in height, soon made his appearance. cover the retreat next morning. That night I was detailed for guard duty, my turn of guard closing with the morning call. When I went out with the officer as a relief, I found that my post was upon a high eminence that overlooked 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 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 Our drummer-boy from Tennessee 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, Our fathers gathered in arms, and swore Half of their work was done, Cambridge and Concord and Lexington! What shall be told of you? Hark! 'tis the south wind moans- Ah, the marrow was true in your children's bones, Of the murder-haunted town! What if the storm-clouds blow? Then, when the battle is won, Our children shall tell of the strife begun Was bright on our brave old tree! 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. "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 FUN ON THE RAPPAHANNOCK:- 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." "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 On his return we asked him "what he supposed 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 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 the end of which we had a picket to watch a Potomac :- "I was accidentally a witness of a gray-back" picket who was stationed at the op-most interesting scene the other day, which ocposite end, and whose duty was evidently to cured close to the camp of the 141st New York watch ours. All along the river we found the regiment. It was a rabbit hunt, in which a pickets of the opposing armies within easy hailing whole company participated, and conducted it distance, and apparently quite friendly, but as on strictly military principles. They first deconversation was not allowed, we asked no ques-ployed as skirmishers, and each with a stick in tions. his hand, moved in good order through a piece The hills back of Fredericksburg looked as of land from which most of the wood had been though they were in possession of an enterprising taken; heaps of branches and limbs scattered oil company who were engaged in boring for here and there, afforded excellent retreats for "ile," but from the fact that the piles of fresh the game in question. As they marched along, earth increase daily we suspected they had not each one beat every bush within reaching dis"struck a vein." On our return we passed tance of his stick, until a rabbit was started. through the little hollow near General Sum- This was announced by a yell, that instantly put ner's headquarters, where a part of our hos- every one on the alert, and the scene that folpitals were located during the battle of the 12th lowed was exciting and ludicrous in the extreme; ult., and stopped to read some of the names ap- the yell was caught up by every soldier, and a pearing upon the little headboards that were chase of the most vigorous description was the planted in a regular row on one side. Eph" rapid result. The flankers strained every nerve made the discovery of several, that read "Pri- to flank or surround the terrified creature, who, vate, Unknown,” and one 66 Lieut., Unknown," bewildered by the tumult on every side, would whereupon he immediately seated himself upon a double at each point where a soldier opposed log, and crossing his " pontoons upon each of him, until his retreat was effectually cut off, and which he had strapped a "buzz saw" the two he was either caught alive or felled by a blow of constituting what he calls his "spurs," and a stick. Where the rabbit was an old one, he often escaped by fleeing to the cover, yet un"Death is a rude customer to meet at any disturbed by the axe, and the chase would have time and at any place; he is not welcome even to be abandoned. I stood on a small hill for at home and among friends- but to think of a more than an hour, watching them, and the fellow dying as it were alone, with not even an shouts of the men, the efforts of the quarry to old comrade or a familiar face near, and upon escape, which was almost always in sight, the whose monument—a pine board two by three agile movements of the soldiers and the roars -appears the inscription Private or Lieutenant of laughter which followed when Unknown,' reminds me that I am not well and cautious or more excited than the other, tripped ought to be discharged." Here he looked pale, and fell his length in the bushes, while his comand we began to think he was unwell, but he panions either ran over him or around him, continued: I wonder if the one who wrote (never stopping) making altogether a most those epitaphs had an idea that when the Chief pleasing spectacle. Although ten blows hit a Bugler comes to sound the last 'reveille,' he soldier where one hit the rabbit when he would pause to learn whether the ashes that was surrounded, still the utmost good huslumber beneath these pine boards ever wore mor prevailed, and the fallen ones took the laugh straps or not?" Here he paused again and of their comrades without the slightest sign of anlooked at his old blouse, shrugged his shoulders, ger or ill feeling. Such little episodes in the life and concluded said: "When the epauletted general who commands and the soldier without straps who obeys, both stand before One in whose presence all tinsel of time, Must fade and die in the light of that region sublime,' "WHEN YOU IS ABOUT, WE IS."— During the passage of the national troops through Missouri, in pursuit of General Price, a crowd of negroes came out from a large house to see them, when the following colloquy took place "Boys, are you all for the Union?" "Oh! yes, massa, when you's about we is." "And when Price comes, your are secesh, are you?" "Lor, yes, massa, we's good secesh then. Can't allow de white folks to git head niggers in dat way." ARMY SPORTS.-The following extract is from the letter of a soldier in the army of the one less of a soldier are not only invaluable as regards his health and the important part they take in preventing a depressed state of mind, but furnish also a welcome change in the place of "hard tack," and salt beef, which comprise the staple articles of the soldier's food, for the company just mentioned caught eleven in less than two hours, which was about one half the number started." SKEDADDLE. The shades of night were falling fast, His hair was red, his toes beneath He saw no household fire where he "Oh! stay," a cullered pusson said, "Beware McClellan, Buell, and Banks, At break of day, as several boys A chap was found and at his side There in the twilight, thick and gray, "Postmasters North, or even South, -, you know." WHO FIRST ANSWERED THE PRESIDENT'S CALL? On the morning of the sixteenth of April, 1861, at nine o'clock, the Logan Guards received orders from Gov. Curtin to proceed immediately to Harrisburgh, and by nine o'clock that night they were ready to leave for that place with one hundred members. Through some mismanagement of the railroad company, they did not get off until the next morning at four o'clock. As a consequence, they arrived in Harrisburgh about six o'clock on the morning of the seventeenth, which was, at least one hour before the arrival of any other company. After the other companies arrived, they were all sworn in together; and on the morning of the eighteenth the five companies left Harrisburgh for Washington. city. During their passage through Baltimore, and their entrance into Washington, the Logan Guards had the right, and were the first company to report themselves for duty to the Adjutant General. The credit should fall on those who deserve it-the gallant Logan Guards, Capt. John B. Selheimer, of Lewiston, Mifflin County Pennsylvania. TOUCHING FAREWELL ADDRESS. - Orpheus C. Kerr thus wrote, about the time General McClellan was relieved from the command of the army of the Potomac : There's a piece of domestic philosophy for you, my boy. AN INCIDENT.-When the United States vessels were on their way to attack Fernandina, Florida, they picked up a contraband who had But the whole body of the Mackerels, sane and ventured to sea in a small boat to notify them insane alike, unite in a feeling of strong anguish that the rebels were deserting the place. While blended with enthusiasm, at the removal of the questioning the black, some of the officers of the beloved General of the Mackerel Brigade. He Alabama remarked that he should have brought|has been so much a father to them all, that they them newspapers to let them know what was go- never expected to get a step farther while he ing on. "I thought of dat," replied the contra- was with them. band," and fotched a Charleston paper wid me." With this he put his hand in his bosom and brought forth a paper, and with the air of a man who was rendering an important service, handed it to the circle of inquirers. They grasped it eagerly, but one glance induced a general burst of laughter, to the profound astonishment of poor Cuffee, who, it seems, could not read, and imagining that one paper was as good as another, had brought one dated 1822. It is a little odd that this paper, which had floated so long down the stream of time, contained an article in favor of negro emancipation. POSTAL AFFAIRS. THE following is the superscription of a letter that passed through the Louisville, Ky., post-office: "Feds and Confeds, let this go free When the General heard of his removal, my boy, he said that it was like divorcing a husband from a wife who had always supported him, and immediately let fly the following farewell address: HEAD-QUARTERS OF ARMY OF ACCOMAC, FOOT OF THE BLUE RIDGE. } Abe divorces us, and gives the command of all MY CHILDREN: An order from the Honest these attached beings to Major General Wobert Wobinson. [Heartrending and enthusiastic In parting with you I cannot express how much I love your dear bosoms. As an army, you In you I never found doubt or coldness, nor anyhave grown from youth to old age under my care. thing else. The victories you have won under my command will live in the nation's work of fiction. The strategy we have achieved, the graves of many unripe Mackerels, the broken forms of those disabled by the emancipation proclama |