dering and collect his troops. Mr. Osbom
saw Grant a day or two afterwards, when
he expected to be deprived of his com-
mand on account of the defeat. He said :

" Why do you not report these Colon-
els ? They are the men to blame for not
carrying out your orders.*'

" Why," said Grant, " these officers had
never before been under fire ; they did
not know how serious an affair it was;
they have had a lesson which they will
not forget. I will answer for it they will
never make the same mistake again. I
can see by the way they behaved in the
subsequent action that they are of the
right stuff, and it is better that I should
k)se my command, if that must be, than
the country should lose the services of
five such officers when good men are
scarce."

Grant did not lose his command, and
three out of the five officers subsequently
greatly distinguished themselves,



General BoseoranB and Fat's Farlo'.
General Rosecrans was reviewing the
lamented Brigadier-Greneral Nelson's old
division. He took unusual interest in that
band of veterans, who so long and so nobly
had defended 'their country. He rode



Gen. Roaecmns.

along alone between the rank^, talking to
tiie men, and inquiring into their individ-
ual wants. Some wanted shoes, some
blanke..s, some an increase of rations, e!c
Finally the General stopped in front of
an Irishman, apparently well pleased with
his soldierly appearance.

"Well, Pat," says the General, "and
what do you want ? "

*'A fury plase your honor ! " answered
Pat.

" You'll do, Pat ! " said the General, as
he rode away, laughing.

A fund of exceedingly readable incidents
concerning 'Old Rosy* and his soldier boys,
may be found in the very racy volume by
*W. D. B.,' entitled Eosecrans' Campaigns.



llother-Oorporal on a Ten Basra* Farloofirh.
The lady friends of a certain Corporal
pent him a box; and among the many
good things packed by fair but rogueish
hands was a life-size doll, dressed in full
Zouave uniform, which the fun-loving dam-
sels won at a soldiers' fair. The Corporal,
after getting the box, was taken sick. The
boys now started the rumor that the Cor-



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poimi was a wumau aad had given birth
to a boy. The rumor spread like wild-
fire; hondi'eds fio<;ked to said quarters
to see the wonderful phenomenon — ^a new
bom babe — ^but the insiders guarded the
tent with zealous care, only allowing pry-
ers to catch a passing glimpse of the sup-
posed mother and babe. A number of
men were to be found who would swear
they had seen both. But the cream of the
joke was yet to come off; the Corporal
received a ten days* furlough — all thought
now, for certain, it was the mother going
home with her babe ; some had it that she
was a rich heiress escaping from a tyrant
father; but hundreds believed in the
mother-corporal and young recmitof Com-
pany I, of the Zouaves d*AfHque.



Obesdnir Orders in his Own Way.
Just before the charge made by Fre*
monfs Body Guard at Springfield, Mo.
Major Zagonyi directed one of his buglers,
a Frenchman, to sound a signaL The
bugler did not seem to pay any attention
whatsoever to the order, but darted off with
Lieutenant Maythenyi. A few moments
afterwards he was observed in another
part of the field vigorously pursuing the
flying infantry. His active form was
always seen in the thickest of the fight
When the line was formed in the PlazOj
Zagonyi noticed the bugler, and approach-
ing him, said : *' In the midst of battle you
disobeyed my order. You are unworthy
to be a member of the Guard. I dismiss
you." The bugler showed his bugle to
his indignant commander — the mouth-
piece of the instrument was shot away.
He said : " The mouth was shoot off I
could not bugle viz mon bugle, and so I
bugle viz mon pistol and sabre.** It is
unnecessary to add, the brave Frenchman
was not dismissed.



Shaken Down anions the Pidksts.
A Confederate ofilcer who had been de-
tached from the ranks on some special ser-
Tlce, at the battle, of Manassas, having



discharged his duty, received orders to
return to the army. He started towards
Manassas at a rattling pace, but had not
proceeded many miles along his circuitous
route, ere he fell in with the Ccmfederate
cavalry patrols and pickets, who were ex-
tremely vigilant; and although custom
had made the oflicer sharp-sighted at night,
they frequently halted him before he had
the slightest notion of being within many
miles of their vicinity. To add to his
misery and delay, he had not the counter-
sign, and therefore was marched off to the
nearest guard-post to account for himself.

** Can't help it, comrade," said the cav-
alry-man, " I believe your words, and think
I have frequently seen you before ; but
orders are orders, you know, and we must
obey."

He was handed over to the next picket,
and so on, until, reaching the central pidcet
station, the Captain commanding examined
him rigorously, and upon the officer pre-
senting papers of identity, the Captain
politely gave him the countersign, saying :

^ It was well, perhaps, you fell in with
our men, for the road you were taking
must have led you nearer the present lines
of the enemy than you care about finding
yourself, I know : the countersign I have
given you is good among the outer pickets ;
when you readi the in^try, be careM
how you act, for they have another one,
and are particularly wakeful to-ni^t, and
thick as flies ! "

Acting upon this advice, he plunged
forward boldly, and was in high spirits,
singing right heartily, for the numerous
Confederate encampments were visible for
many miles around. But — ^ Halt ! halt I "
was the challenge suddenly given by half-
a-dozen ; and from their guns leveled at
him, he saw there was no fun about them.
"Who goes there!" "(MRcer without
the countersign ! " " Advance officer ! " —
which he did, very meekly, for could they
have seen bun even wink improperly, he
would have been instantly riddled with
balf-a-dozen shots. Here he went through



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418



the operation of being handed over from
one to another, until fairly out of patience.
The corporal of the guwrd would do no
more than hand him to the sergeant,
the latter to the lieutenant of the guard ;
the lafit to the officer of the night, and he
to the officer of the day — so that, from
being handed from one to another, it got
rumored about among some of the soldiers
that he was a spy and soon there was a
large crowd at his heels, bestowing all
manner of uncomplimentary epithets. The
rumor spread among the regiments through
which he was then passing ; and while in
the tent of the officer of the day making
explanations, one loquacious gentleman,
who stood peeping through a rent in the
tent, was heard to exclaim —

"The Captain's got him, he's a spy,
and they've got the papers on him! I
hope they'll detail me as one of the firing
party; wonH I let him have it good ! "

After a few moments of explanation, he
remounted again; and his sudden trans-
formation into a good and true Southerner
seemed to cause infinite disgust to many,
but particularly to the ragged gentleman
who was so anxious to make one of the
" firing party."

Tragical Bnoounter between Oenerala ITel-
son and Davie.

When the alarm was raised in Louis-
ville, Ey., in the autunm of 1862, that the
Confederates were marching on that city.
General Davis, who could not reach his
command under (General Buell, then at
Bowling Green, went to Creneral Nelson
and tendered his services. General Nel-
son gave hini the command of the city
militia so soon as they were organized.
General Davis opened an office and went
to work in assisting the organization. On
Wednesday, General Davis called upon
General Nelson in his room at the Gait
House, when the following conversation
took place, as reported in the newspapers

Gen. Davis. I have the brigade, Gen-
eral, you assigned me, ready for service,
29



and have called to inquire- if I can obtain
arms for them.

Gen. Nelson. How many men have
you?

Davis. About twenty-five hundred.
General.

Nelson (roughly and angrily). About
twenty-five hundred! About twenty-five
hundred! By G — ! you are a regular



Gen. J. C. Davis.

officer, and come here to me and report
ahaiU the number of men in your com-
mand! — you, don't you know,

sir, you should furnish me the exact num-
ber?

Davis. General, I didn't expect to get
the guns now, and only wanted to learn
if I could get them, and where ; and, hav-
ing learned the exact niunber needed,
would then draw them.

Nelson (pacing the room m a rage).
About twenty-five hundred ? By — , I
suspend you from your command, and or-
der you to report to General Wright ; and

I've a ' good mind to put you under

arrest Leave my room, sir !

Davis. I will not leave, General, until
you give me an prder.

Nelson. The — you won't! By

— 111 put you under arrest, and send
you out of the city under a provost guard !
Leave my room, sir !

General Davis left the room, and, in
order to avoid an arrest, crossed over th«



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THE BOOK OF ANECDOTES OF THE REBELLION.



river to Jeffereonville, where he remained
until the next day, when he was joined
by General Biwhridge, who had also been
relieved by Nelson from his command.
General Davis went to Cincinnati with
General Burbridge, and reported to Gen-
eral Wright, who ordered General Davis
to return to Louisville and report to Gren-
eral Buell, and General Burbridge to
remain at Cincinnati. So General Davis
returned and reported to General Buell.
Nothing further occurred until the morning



Esoounter between GenB. Nelflon and DiitIm.

Avhen General Davis, seeing General Nel-
son in the main hall of the Gait House,
fronting the otfice, went up to Governor
Morton and requested him to step up with
him to General Nelson and witness the
conversation that might pass between Nel-
son and him. The Governor consented,
and the two walked up to General Nelson,
when the following took place : —

Gen. Davis. Sir, you seemed to take
advantage of your authority the other day.

Gen. Nelson (sneeringly, and placing
his hand to his ear). Speak louder, I don't
hear very well.

Davis (in a louder tone). You seemed
to take advantage of your authority the
other day.

Nelson (indignantly). I don't know
that I did, sir.

lyAVis. You threatened to arrest and



send me out of the State under a provost
guard.

Nelson (striking Davis with the back
of his hand twice in the face). There,
d you, take that.

Davis (retreating). This is not the
last of it ; you will hear from me again.

Nelson then turned to Governor Mor-
ton, and said : By G— d, did you come
here also to insult me ?

Gov. Morton. No, sir; but I was
requested to be present and listen to the
conversation between you and General
Davis.

Gen. Nelson (violently to the by-stand-
ers). Did you hear the d rascal in-
sult me ? He then walked into the ladies*
parlor.

In three minutes General Davis return-
ed, with a pistol he had borrowed of Cap-
tain Gibson, of Louisville, and walkii>g
toward the door that Nelson had passed
through, he saw Nelson walking out of the
parlor into the hall separating the main
hall fix)m the parlor. The two were face
to face, and about ten yards apart, when
General Davis drew his pistol and fired,
the ball entering Nelson's heart, or in the
immediate vicinity.



Gen. Nelson



General Nelson then threw up both
hands and caught a gentleman near by
around the neck, and exclaimed, '^ I am
shot! " He then walked up the flight of



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415



Stairs toward General Boell's room, but
sank at the top of the stairs, and was una-
ble to proceed further. He was then con-
veyed to his room, and when laid on his
bed requested that the Bev. Mr. Talbott,
an Episcopal clergTman stopping in the
house, might be sent to him at once. The
reverend gentleman arrived in about five
minutes, and found the General extremely
anxious as to his future wel&re. He
knew that he must die immediately, and
requested that the ordinance of baptism
might be administered, which was done.
The General then whispered, ^It's all
over," and his spirit at once returned unto
its Maker.



Whon Oeneral Baokner Hnn^ his Head.

Some of the Confederate officers at
Fort Donelson took their surrender very
much to heart They were proud, inso-
lent, and defiant Their surrender was
unconditional, but they thought it very
hard to give up their swords and pistols.
One of them fired a pistol at Major Mudd,
of the Second Illinois regiment, wounding
him in the back. The Major belonged in
St Louis, and had been, from the begin-
ning, an ardent friend of the Union. He
had hunted the guerrillas in Missouri, and
had fought bravely at Wilson's Creek.
He was probably shot by an old enemy.
Greneral Grant at once issued orders that
all the rebel officers should be disarmed.
General Buckner, in insolent tones, said
to General Grant, that it was barbarous,
inhuman, brutal, unchivalrous, and at vari-
ance with the rules of civilized warfiire.
General Grant replied —

** You have dared to coma here to com-
plam of my acts, without the right to
make an objection. You do not appear to
remember that your surrender w<u uncon-
ditionaL Yet, if we <!ompare the acts
of the difierent armies in this war, how
will yours bear inspection? You have
cowardly shot my officers in cold blood.
As I rode over the field, I saw the dead
of my army brutally insulted by your



men, their clothing stripped off of them,
and their bodies exposed without the
slightest regard for common decency.
Humanity has seldom marked ypur course
whenever our men have been unfortunate
enough to fall into your hands. At Bel-
mont, your authorities disregarded all the
usages of civilized war&re. My officers
were crowded into cotton pens with my
brave soldiers, and then thrust into prison,
while your officers were permitted to en-
joy their parole, and live at the hotel in
Cairo. Your men are given the same
fare as my own, and your wounded receive
our best attention. These are incontro-
vertible fiicts. I have simply taken the
precaution to disarm your officers and men,
because necessity compelled me to protect
my own from assassination.**

General Buckner had no reply to make.
He hung his head in shame at the rebuke.



W«itnl Batiified with the TwaUth Oonneo-
tlcut

The Twelfth Connecticut had lain for
ten days within hearing of the bombard-
ment of Fort Jackson, within sight of the
bursting shells and of the smoke of that
great torment, but still they had not as a
regunent been under fire. Though they
were the first troops to reach the con-
quered city of New Orleans, they had
never yet heard the whistling of balls, ex-
cepting in a trifling skirmish on Pearl
River, where hve of the companies re-
ceived a harmless volley from forty or
fifty invisible guerrillas. Almost all that
they knew of war was the routine of drill
and guard duty, and the false night alarms
with which the brigadier used to try and
season them ; though they wilted under a
southern sun, and were daubed with Lou-
isiana mud, and were sick by hundreds
and died by scores.

But they were at last to quit garristm
duty behind the great earthworks of Camp.
Parapet, and go into active offensive ope-
rations. Lieutenant GU>dfrey Weitzel of
the Engineers, the chief military adviser



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416 THE BOOK OP ANECDOTES OP THE REBELLION,

of Greneral Butler, had lately been ere- ! that to that excellent chaplain and f opn-
ated Brigadier-General, and the extenu- j lar writer, Mr. Trumbull, is due this (Irtt-
ated forces of the department were ex- rate narrative ; or, at any rate, every Con-
hausted • to furnish him with a brigade necticut reader will find himself deficient
suitable to the execution of the plans in some of the best written and always
which he proposed. | truthful memorabilia of the war, who has

Weitzel did not want the Twelfth Con- not Trumbull's racy sketches, as penned
necticut It was generally believed that by him in the camp and on the field of
the regiments which garrisoned Camp battle.
Parapet were not only sickly but broken
in spirit and undisciplined, which, in a qual-
ified but not disparaging sense, had some
foundation. At any rate, the word had



Tom. Taylor's Flae of Trace.
On the 8th of July, 1861, a singular
' afiair, in the way of a rebel flag of truce,
gone abroad that the regiment was undisci- took place at Washington. It appears
plined, and so General Weitzel did not want that while Colonel Andrew Porter, of the
the Twelfth Connecticut. I United States army, was scouting at the

But shortly after the regiment had head of a party of eighteen in the imme-
joined his brigade, he came upon it in one diate vicinity of the disunion lines on the
of its battalion drills, and, taking com- ' other side of the river, a party of twenty-
mand, hurried them on the double-quick two mounted disunion troops was observed
through movement after movement, with approaching them. Colonel Porter im-
the intention as it seemed, of puzzling mediately placed his men in position for a
them, and so finding occasion to report brush, and awaited their nearer approach,
their unfitness for immediate field service. Perceiving, when they got in hailing dis-
It was, '^ Double column at half distance ; tance of him, that one of them had in his
battalion, inward &ce ; double-quicks hand trailing, a white flag, he demanded
march ! " And then, — " Form square ; that they should halt where they were,
right and left into line, wheel ; double- and explain their errand. They came to
quick, march ! " And then, — " Reduce a halt, and declared that they bore an im-
square ; double-quick, march ! " And portant communication from Davis to the
then, — " Column forward, guide right ; President of the United States,
double-quick, march I " And then, — ^^ De- Colonel Porter requested them to dis-
ploy column; right companies, right into mount, and approach with it on foot, a
line, wheel; left companies, on the right into measure of precaution rendered necessary



line ; battalion, guide right, double-quick,
ma-r-c-h ! ^ And so on for half an hour,
as fast as the men oould trot, and the offi-
cers drill, the ranks. But there was not
an instant's tangle in reeling and unreel-
ing the difiicult skein. If there was any
thing that the Lieutenant-Colonel com-
manding loved, if there was any thing
the old Greneral excelled in, it was tacti-
cal evolution. The regiment had been
drilled in battalion and drilled in brigade,
till it went like a watch. Weitzel rode
off satisfied with the Twelfth Connecticut;
and the regiment was equally pleased with
its smart young general We believe



by the fact that the ofiicer bearing the
flag, was accompanied by a larger escort
than that (twelve men,) incident to the
presence of a flag of truce. His request
was complied with, and he found their re-
presentation correct The disunion off-
cer proved to be Captain Tom. Taylor, of
Frankfort, Kentucky, a kinsman of Old
Zac^'s, who bore a sealed letter from Jeff.
Davis to President Lincoln, according to
a representation upon its back, written
and signed by Beauregard at Manassas,
explaining the fiict, and asking that Cap-
tain Taylor might be facilitated in his
mission.



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417



Accordingly, Colonel Porter sent Cap-
tain Taylor and his missive forward with
an officer and an orderly, and directed the
disunion escort to return forthwith into
their own fines — himself and the picket
guard with him, following them for some
distance, to see that that direction was
properly carried out-
Captain Taylor was carried immediately
to General McDowell's head-quarters,
where, by telegraph, directions were re-
ceived to send him to General Scott's
head-quarters at Washington. He arriTed
imder a guard at seven p. h., and after a
brief interview with General Scott, where-
in Captain Tom. Taylor told his •ory as
he had doubtless been instructed to tell
it, he was sent to the President, bearing
the sealed missive from Jeff. Davis to
that fmictionary.

His business was disposed of at the
White House in a very few minutes ; for
in tliat time he was sent back to General
Scott with one letter less than he bore on
his person on entering the Union lines, the
President not deeming the communication
he brought such as required him to enter
into any correspondence with Davis.

Captain Tom. Taylor, of Unde Sambo's
cavalry, was next immediately faced in
the direction from which he came, and
marched back to General McDowell's
head-quarters, where, though courteously
and kindly treated, he was kept under a
strict guard until an early hour the next
morning, when he was escorted back to
Uncle Sambo's lines, and turned loose to
find his way back to Beauregard, without
having accomplished what was evidently
a main point to be attained by his mission
— ^viz.: to communicate with traitors in
Washington, who had doubtless prepared
to send to Beauregard, through him, im-
portant information concerning contempla-
ted mifitary movements.



MoOook's PaM fat Old Baa.
A man named Buz Bowe, well known
in the neighborhood of Bacon Creek, was



eai-ly afflicted with the secession fever,
and when the Confederates occupied that
portion of Kentucky, the sickness assumed
a malignant form. It was his practice to
lie around a tavern at Bacon Creek Sta-
tion, drink whisky, swagger, blow about
Southern rights, and insult Union men.
When, however, the Union troops ad-
vanced to Nevin, and the Confederates fell
back to Green River, Buz changed his
tune. He was not disposed to take up
arms in behalf of the cause he represent-
ed. In fisujt, to secure peace and safety at
home, he expressed his willingness to
« take the oath."

On being lectured by Union men, he
stated that he was only * going through the
form, to prevent being troubled at home,
that when he could do good for the rebel



Oen. Alex McOook.

cause he would not regard the obligation
in the least.' It was some time before
Buz could get a Union man to go to the
camp with him, but finally, in company
with such, he called on General McCook,
and asked for the privilege of taking the
oath and obtaining a pass, llie Greneral
knew his man, and addressing the Union
man who accompanied him, said :

^Administer the oath to htm — a ready
traitor to his country ! Wliat regard do
you suppose he would have for the solemn
obligations of the oath ? A man, sir, who



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418



THE BOOK OF ANECDOTES OF THE REBELLION.



would betray his ooontry, has no respect
finr his oatL"

Buz turned pale. The truth cut him
deep, and he began to see that his time
had come.

The General absolutely refused to have
the oath administered, or to grant a pass.
He could not get out of camp without
some sort of a document, and he besought
the interference of those whom he had so
greatly cursed, pursued and abused, when
they were without protection. At last
General McCook agreed to pass him out
of camp, and gave him a document which
read something in this way :

"To the guards and pickets. The
bearer is a traitor to his country. Pass
him ; but, in doing so, mark him well, and
if you see him hereafter prowling about
our lines, shoot him at once."

This pass the brawling disunionist had
to show to the whole line of guards and
pickets, who all marked him well before
they let him pass. Though he had pre-
viously been at Bacon Creek every day,
he was not known to show his ' bacon '
there again. One interview with Greneral
McCook caused him to subside. 'Doctor'
McCook's medicine was the only Jdnd that
proved a cure in such cases.



OoUmiel Qamley Dalng a Utile GKiard Daty .

Lieutenant , of one of the Ohio

regiments, was making a detail of men to
guard a lot of army stores captured from
the enemy. He approached a crowd of
men all wearing overcoats, such as Unde
Sam gives his ' soger boys,* and selected
four or five for special duty. It happened
that Lieutenant-Colonel Grazley, of the
thirty-seventh Indiana, was in the crowd,
and was selected by the Lieutenant. This
was fun for the Colonel, and without a
word he shouldered his gun and went to
his post of duty. Not long afterward, the