-r^rv"i:i''>y 
 
X. t- 
 
 u- 
 
THE STOEY OF THE GUAED. 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUAED : 
 
 A CHRONICLE OF THE WAR. 
 
 Bt JESSIE BENTON FREMONT- 
 
 sir good swords rust, 
 their steeds are dust, 
 itheir souls are with the saints, we trust.' 
 
 BOSTON: 
 TICKNOR AND FIELDS. 
 
 1863. 
 
\ 
 
 Entered according to Act of Congress, in to^year -I^k^y 
 
 TicKNoa AND Fields, \ y'^7\,iif^ 
 
 in the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the District of 
 Massachusetts. 
 
 RIVERSIDB, CAMBRIDQE: 
 STKRIOTTPCD AND PRUMED UY U. 0. UOUaQTOX. 
 
"That the honorable enterprises, noble 
 adventures, and deeds of arms, performed in 
 the wars between England and France may be 
 properly related, and held in perpetual remem- 
 brance—to the end that brave men taking 
 example from them may be encouraged in 
 their well-doing, I sit down to record a history 
 deserving great praise ; but, before I begin, I 
 request of the Saviour of the world, who from 
 nothing created all things, that He will have 
 the goodness to inspire me with sense and 
 sound understanding, to persevere in such man- 
 ner, that all those who shall read may derive 
 pleasure and instruction from my work, and 
 that I may fall into their good graces. 
 
 " It is said, and with truth, that all towns 
 are built with many different stones, and that 
 all large rivers are formed from many springs ; 
 so are sciences compiled by many learned per- 
 sons, and what one is ignorant of is known to 
 another ; not but that everything is known 
 sooner or later." .... — ^/> John Frois- 
 sarfs Preface to his Chronicles of England^ 
 France^ ^c. 
 
When this book was written, nearly a 
 year ago now, it was my wish and hope to be 
 able through it to get some immediate assist- 
 ance for the families upon whom the winter 
 was coming without their usual support. It 
 was to have been issued as a Christmas Story, 
 at the kindly season when " good-will towards 
 all" would be propitious to my attempt. But 
 various causes delayed it. Among others the 
 want of a publisher who was willing to incur 
 the risk of publishing what might be taken as 
 a disapproval of an official act. Mr. Ticknor 
 and Mr. Fields hearing of it, volunteered for 
 the service, but it was already too late for a 
 Christmas-book and so it was put off to a 
 more favorable season. When a new com- 
 mand was given to the General we hoped for 
 renewed service for the Guard, and this stayed 
 my hand again. Again disappointed for them, I 
 have no restraining motive, but launch it now, 
 taking shame to myself for deferring for any 
 cause a right act. For in this, as well as in 
 great matters, I do not believe that there is any 
 specially appointed " more convenient season." 
 19th October, 1862. J. B. F. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 "THE REASON WHY." 
 
 [From a Letter to Mr. Fields.^ 
 
 Because I know what it is I mean to do, 
 I am afraid I fell into the error of talking to 
 you this morning as though you, too, knew ail 
 about it. Mr. Ticknor and yourself talked 
 " book," when I am incapable of writing a 
 book ; sunshine puts out little fires, and Pve 
 known too much of those who lived, as well 
 as wrote books, to pale my ineffectual fires 
 by comparison. But I can tell what I know. 
 I believe that those truly soldierly young men, 
 worthy of a place in chronicles of knightly 
 deeds, were misrepresented, slighted, and finally 
 insulted out of the service, because of the name 
 
VIU PREFACE. 
 
 they bore. This has not altered the feeling 
 with which they took that name, and we feel 
 to them as toward the foremost in sharing a 
 hard siege. It seems to me as much an obli- 
 gation of feeling and honor to do them jus- 
 tice, and heal the hurts to their just pride, 
 as it would be to visit them in the hospital, 
 had they been wounded bodily in the discharge 
 of their duty near the General In the field. 
 
 They were all young, many with younger 
 members of their families looking to them for 
 protection and assistance ; some few were mar- 
 ried j some were sons of widows; — and it 
 was an additional sorrow to find that those 
 killed at Springfield comprised the greater 
 number of married men and some of the 
 most needed sons. 
 
 I cannot let those mothers and wives feel 
 our name only the synonyme of sorrow and 
 loss to them. In the first nights after hearing 
 of Springfield (the days were too busy for 
 dwelling on thoughts) this thought troubled 
 me. The idea of making the noble conduct 
 of the Guard the means of providing for their 
 
PREFACE. IX 
 
 families then came to me like an inspiration. 
 It leaves no sense of obligation, and their pro- 
 tection from such of the ills of life as money- 
 affects will be due to the same true hearts 
 and strong hands that defended the country at 
 Springfield. Mr. Raymond was at the piano 
 while I was thinking this over, and chanced 
 upon one of his German student songs, which 
 so fitted to and embodied the Charge, that we 
 adopted it at once as the Song of the Guard ; 
 and then and there, in the midnight hours, we 
 made each our contribution to this Story of 
 the Guard. I had the General's letters, telling 
 me very fully of the Charge and many incidents 
 connected with it. Major Corwine, who was 
 Judge Advocate on the staff, had the deepest 
 interest in the " Kentucky Company," which 
 he had mainly recruited himself; and the Song 
 is from the memories of Capts. Howard and 
 Raymond, who made the English translation, 
 and arranged it for the piano. The Song is, 
 I think, perfectly charming: — opening with 
 measured, muffled, tramping minor chords, it 
 breaks into the open key to be gathered at the 
 
X PREFACE. 
 
 close of each verse into one quivering minor 
 chord on the word " Dying." 
 
 Here where the war is unseen, and com- 
 paratively unfelt, it is hard to make real the 
 feeling with which Union people hold to each 
 other in a rebel State actually at war. In St. 
 Louis, the rebel city of a rebel State, where 
 until September the uniform of a Federal 
 officer made him at once a target, those who 
 shared the chances of that earlier day of in- 
 security were as one household. Disturbances 
 in the city were of almost nightly occurrence. 
 The house used as Headquarters was strongly 
 built and fire-proof, and part of the basement 
 was a regular armory, from which ammu- 
 nition was issued more than once " in the 
 small hours " to the Guard, for some dan- 
 gerous duty in the city and its suburbs. We 
 literally, and the city figuratively, slept over a 
 magazine. Those were wearing days and anx- 
 ious nights, but the city learned to rest in peace, 
 trusting to the watchfulness of the Provost Mar- 
 shal General McKinstry, and to Colonel McNeill. 
 Few knew of the constant activity and perpetual 
 
PREFACE. xi 
 
 vigilance of Zagonyi and the Guard. Many of 
 these young men were citizens of St. Louis, and 
 knew the sources of danger. As the work of the 
 department became centralized, and telegraphic 
 and other government records were to be taken 
 care of at Headquarters, the Guard was put 
 on duty inside of the house, where many hun- 
 dred persons were daily passing to and from the ,^^ 
 various offices. 
 
 It is smooth sailing in St. Louis now ; but the 
 first company of the Guards are among those ^"^ 
 
 who remember a different order of things. ij Q-< 
 
 This is to you a digression ; but I mean it to .:, ^ 
 explain why we had for the Guard a more pep^,^^ ^ 
 sonal feeling than could grow up in ordinary war\^*j 
 or in the formal life of barracks. "'^^^ 
 
 I will put together such material as I have, 
 and leave it to you to make it successful. You 
 will see it is impossible to make a regular 
 " book " of it, — it is really nothing more than 
 the fireside story of the Guard ; interesting 
 from the facts, — interesting because in ten 
 thousand homes some vacant place will lend a 
 
Xll PREFACE. 
 
 Stronger interest to the tale. I hope something, 
 too, from the kindly interest of old friends of 
 my father's. 
 
 These young men gave their lives to save 
 the State he loved so well and served so long. 
 Some rest there, as he does, until the last trum- 
 pet-call. 
 
 For any personal object I should never use 
 my name vv^hich has been to me a double charge 
 to keep, but I think my father also would more 
 than approve, when it is to do justice and to aid 
 the widow and the orphan. 
 
 Such as it is, my offering goes to make a fund 
 for them, and I turn over the manuscript to you, 
 relying on your experience and good sympathy 
 to manage the rest. My part is to give you the 
 story of the Guard, and yours is to make it 
 profitable to them. If Mr. Ticknor and your- 
 self will be bankers, the Rev. Mr. Eliot, in St. 
 Louis, and Major Corwine, in Cincinnati, will 
 see a just use made of the fund. The New- 
 hall family would look up any Philadelphians 
 of the Guard, — for there may be some needs 
 from tedious wounds, and a wounded sol- 
 
PREFACE. xiii 
 
 dier is as worthy of care as even children and 
 women. But with this I have nothing to 
 do. My part is to collect and arrange some 
 facts and incidents, and give them with all 
 my best wishes for success to the tribunal I 
 was educated to believe in — a faith confirmed 
 by my own experience. 
 
 JESSIE BENTON FREMONT. 
 New York, 5th December, 1861. 
 
THE STOKY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 There was a time — not long ago if 
 measured by months — when so quiet and 
 remote was the life we led that I found 
 out then who read the whole of maga- 
 zines, and new books, and even newspa- 
 pers ; and through this bond of a past 
 experience have learned to realize that 
 somewhere facts are taken in and cher- 
 ished, make roots, and bear fruit. Our 
 brain-rations came twice a month, and, al- 
 though a month old when they did reach us, 
 had about them a freshness and zest which 
 had never been obtained in long city expe- 
 
16 THE STOEY OF THE GUAED. 
 
 rience. How faithfully everything gets read, 
 and how living and real the creations of 
 fancy get to he in this healthy slowness of 
 absorption. This is talking mysteries to 
 the regular citizen who has never known 
 a long interval — a good wearing interval — • 
 of a year or two years of genuine country 
 life, which (when it's over) it's worth hav- 
 ing gone through for the new perceptions 
 acquired. A mental Grsefenberg process 
 to one accustomed to turn only to the few 
 preferred pages of some favorite author, 
 and throw by the rest of the magazine. 
 Where but in countriest country does one 
 hear, " I won't cut the leaves yet — I've 
 not finished the last number " ] Where 
 else does the dreadful certainty obtain that 
 there is time and to spare for hoth num- 
 hers ! But when the solitude and fasting 
 from print begin to tell, and give the nat- 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. IJ 
 
 9 
 
 ural flavor to simples, then comes a real 
 enjoyment of reading such as book-stores 
 a discretion cannot yield. 
 
 You are in some green solitude where 
 there is no collection of books within many 
 miles, — in a new State perhaps, — and you 
 see it is going to rain again, or snow, and you 
 have read up everything. "You" means 
 a woman, of course ; a man would be glad 
 of a long rain, or a snow and a thaw, that 
 would give him some quiet days for going 
 over papers in-doors ; but you have no pa- 
 pers, and all your days are quiet, and if 
 it rains, you " can't get out." You have 
 no letters to answer, if you've been "in 
 the country " a year ; — the term of mourn- 
 ing is over for you, long ago, and the long 
 letters of the first months have subsided 
 into rare, — 
 
 " I have been trying to find time to 
 
18 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 write you a long letter, but we've been 
 so busy with this, that, and the other, 
 and are you never coming back ] " 
 and such like polite vaguenesses, so that 
 you feel you are, to all intents and pur- 
 poses, ghosts on a foreign shore. 
 
 It is mail-day, (you have become blunt- 
 ed to the fact that there are interme- 
 diate days which are not mail-days,) and 
 you watch, and even listen for the horse's 
 feet. For your genuine country mail 
 comes only within an easy ride of your 
 house, and you connect by coachman and 
 horse with mail-coach. There he comes ! 
 You don't see the parcel. It's a small 
 mail, then, and carried in the pocket. 
 You rather hang back from knowing 
 your fate, but it comes to you, if you 
 won't meet it, and says, remorselessly, — 
 "Stage couldn't cross Dry Creek." That's 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. IQ 
 
 the way of Dry Creeks — not to turn a 
 mill-wheel in pleasant weather, and sud- 
 denly to grow into a roaring torrent in 
 the course of a night. You ask in sarcas- 
 tic tones, that would make Naiads wretch- 
 ed, if they were acquaintances, " When 
 will Dry Creek he fordahle 1 " and get for 
 answer, " Well, if it rains, (and 'pears like 
 rain, — if it don't rain by night, it's most 
 sure to rain hefore daylight,) why then 
 you'll allow they won't git over before 
 next week — four or five days, anyhow." 
 You know the man to be fearfully expe- 
 rienced in weather-signs, and yield to the 
 impassable gulf of a Dry Creek modified 
 by the rainy season. 
 
 Of course it rains; and the horrid pa- 
 pers that bar you out from companion- 
 ship are taken up, and silence sets in. 
 So you devote yourself to toning-down to 
 
20 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 indoor-pitch two boys whose riotous health 
 rather endangers the needed quiet; and 
 when at last they're off to bed, with a 
 compliment for their good behavior, (car- 
 rying off your honors !) you feel your 
 mind is fagged and longing for the rest 
 of fresh ideas. Being a woman, you want 
 to read, in place of going wholesomely to 
 sleep at early candle-light. Then it is that 
 the lesser stars find their chance to shine. 
 You pile on more wood, draw the lights 
 nearer, and gathering all the last mail, go 
 through it again. Rare, and always to be 
 treasured, are the exceptional times when in 
 this deep, secure solitude and stillness some 
 book that was indeed a book rose on the 
 night, and took its place among the things 
 that are joys forever. On such a night as 
 this, I read the "Idylls of the King." Not 
 a human sound to break the stillness — 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUAPwD. ^1 
 
 the hum from the great fire of logs, 
 the scraping of the oak boughs agahist 
 the roof — the straining, rushing sound of 
 the wind among the pines, and that unde- 
 finable mourning wail made by coming 
 storms among mountains — to this accom- 
 paniment I read of rude Geraint, and 
 too-patient Enid, with her brave song — 
 of Elaine and her sweetest story of true 
 girlish love, and the half disgust that 
 might well come over Lancelot as he 
 realized " what might have been " — of the 
 impossible Arthur, humanized by his wo- 
 ful wrongs, and brought within our sym- 
 pathies by his grand courtesy and for- 
 bearance — then re-reading of that closing 
 scene where the good knight, having 
 fought his last fight, and lying so deeply 
 smitten through the helm, had yet one 
 drop more of bitter held to his lips. Sir 
 
22 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 Bedlvere had the grace to repent and feel 
 ashamed, hut first he gave his king and 
 friend one more turn of the screw — it 
 belongs with Peter's weeping. The wind 
 drawing through the narrow valley be- 
 tween the high mountain ranges made a 
 weird but noble harmony with the wail 
 that rose from the funeral barge. 
 
 But all this digression is only to show 
 that out of those years of seclusion I 
 brought away new perceptions, and now 
 that I am back among books, having, as 
 Bridget Elia says of prints, " nothing to 
 do but to walk into Colnaghi's " and get my 
 fill, I often remember that past time ; and, 
 because I know many more read in that 
 way than in the unsatisfactory surface man- 
 ner one must in cities, I will venture to 
 hope for this little story a thorough reading, 
 with a kindly appreciation of the many 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. Og 
 
 feelings that make its telling not intrusive, 
 I trust. 
 
 The wire-net tables at the florists, with 
 their showy exhibition of stemless flow- 
 ers, bear the same relation to the garden- 
 beds, where their mates are yet blooming 
 and growing, as the ordinary city reader 
 does to those who have leisure to feel, and 
 to whom I commend this Christmas-tale of a 
 great deed — told in two lines in the papers 
 — but bringing heavy sorrow for life to 
 some, and, to all who truly love and honor 
 our flag, unending pride in the Body Guard. 
 
 And if any one should say. What, that 
 old story ! I beg to answer that what De 
 Musset says of Love is equally true of 
 Truth : " It is never old and never new, 
 because it is eternal." 
 
 There is an English picture, familiar 
 
£4« THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 to US through its Hthographed form, called 
 " The Telegraph." 
 
 It is the interior of a quiet English 
 home, where mother and children are at 
 their steady, calm, home occupations. 
 Through the open window, over fair miles 
 of field and wood, is seen a distant train. 
 It concerns them not. It is rushing to 
 a busy life that is not theirs. Their life 
 is told by the room — in their simple 
 occupations — in the portrait on the wall 
 — they are to labor and to wait ; he 
 serves. 
 
 The little maid shows in the boy from 
 the Station with a telegraphic despatch, 
 and instantly, in the twinkling of an eye, 
 there is a great change. Struck by light- 
 ning as effectually as though her black 
 garments were the charred remains from 
 that stroke, the mother is widowed, the 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 25 
 
 children orphaned, by the slip of paper 
 in her relaxed, fainting hand. 
 
 When in the telegraphic news-column 
 we read, 
 
 " Major Zagonyi, with one hundred and 
 fifty of the Body Guard, attacked and drove 
 from Springfield over two thousand rebels, 
 with a loss of only fifteen men," 
 some women knew that that " fifteen " 
 carried a death-stroke to as many hearts. 
 Prayers that this cup might pass from 
 her went up with fear and trembling 
 from many a wife and mother. Some 
 days must pass before the fearful doubt 
 settles into a worse fact. Give your 
 tenderest pity to the mother who learned 
 in the same day that at Little Gauley 
 and at Springfield two boys, her sons, — 
 and she was a widow, — lay dead. 
 
II. 
 
 WHY THE GUARD WAS FOR:\rED. 
 
 In addition to the usual reasons for 
 cavalry, the prairie nature of the country 
 to be operated over, and the habits of its 
 settlers, made a special need for efficient 
 cavalry in the army of the Mississippi. 
 In this abundant grain region, where the 
 most negligent farming is amply remedied 
 by the natural prairie growth of forage, rid- 
 ing-horses are as much a matter of course 
 as work-horses only would be on a North- 
 ern farm. The rifle hangs over every 
 fireplace ; between game and Indians, it 
 has little rest. Given a gun and a horse, 
 the inevitable result on the frontiers is a 
 hunter ; if a war comes, the cavalry soldier 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. g^ 
 
 is ready. Opposing infantry would be 
 laughed to scorn by these men, to whom 
 horsemanship, the country to be gone over, 
 and a brave enemy, are equally famiHar. 
 
 In Missouri, this war material acquired 
 something of a military organization from 
 the protracted struggles with Kansas, and 
 was fostered and protected by government 
 money and ammunition, and the powerful 
 aid of government favor. For four years 
 preceding the war, government patronage 
 and political honors w^re the portion of 
 the faithful to the Southern side ; and the 
 same agency made it unprofitable and un- 
 popular and, in the city of St. Louis, 
 unfashionable, to be with the North and 
 for Freedom, 
 
 It was necessary to form our brave and 
 willing but comparatively untrained men 
 into cavalry, which could not only com- 
 
28 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 pete with the frontiersmen and their tough 
 horses in the things they knew, but, hav- 
 ing other knowledge added, be their su- 
 periors in any encounter. A shameful 
 number of regular officers had deserted; 
 those who remained were nearly all on 
 duty east of the Mississippi Valley ; and 
 the difficulty of officering and rendering 
 efficient the masses of untrained troops 
 was a serious embarrassment. 
 
 Fortunately our adopted citizens recog- 
 nized that Freedom was of no nationality; 
 and the swords that had been used in its 
 behalf in Germany and Hungary were 
 taken down and offered to aid in saving 
 its very hearth-stone, as the United States 
 had seemed to them. 
 
 Among those of whose tried skill and 
 courage many incidents had been told to 
 us, there was one whose particular quali- 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUAED. OQ 
 
 ties and experience pointed him out as best 
 qualified to form and elevate to the high- 
 est standard a body of young men who 
 were to be chosen with the purpose of 
 forming a school for cavalry officers, from 
 which, as regiments were raised, instructed 
 officers could be taken : and which could be 
 at the same time the nucleus for a regiment 
 itself. The long residence of many Hunga- 
 rian officers in our midst has brought home 
 to us many incidents of their brave struggle; 
 and one, among others, related of Zagonyi 
 showed him to have not only the coolness 
 and experience that was needed, but that 
 rarer quality, the capacity for generous 
 and unselfish devotion. He proved this 
 in twice saving the life of General Bem 
 at the utmost danger to his own, — the 
 last time ending in Bem's escape and 
 his own wounding and long imprisonment. 
 
so THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 When I asked Zagonyi the particulars of 
 the day at Hermanstadt, his surprise was 
 great to find we knew of it at all ; only 
 with much persistence could I get even 
 confirmation from him. His additions to 
 the story were remembrances of others, — 
 of an aid to General Liiders (Russian), 
 who stopped a soldier from firing upon 
 him as he lay wounded and pinned down 
 by his dead horse, and how he had had 
 him carried off and cared for as his con- 
 dition required ; of the old bugler who 
 would stay by him defending him until he 
 forced him to go on and save the Gen- 
 eral, (Bern) — and so on. These experi- 
 ences, grafted on a thorough military 
 education, made Zagonyi the fittest one 
 to carry out the cavalry plan ; and I will 
 give his own account of the forming of 
 the Guard, in his own quaint Hunga- 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 31 
 
 rian English, which gives it more em- 
 phasis and character, and makes a brief, 
 soldierly effect which is not natural to 
 pens feminine. 
 
 I once heard a good criticism made 
 unconsciously by that natural knight and 
 gentleman, our friend Kit Carson.* In 
 preparing a sketch of his life, a writer 
 used the expression, "there he snared the 
 wily beaver." Carson came to me about it. 
 He did not like to hurt the writer's pride; 
 but said he, " there's men that will read 
 that, and they'll know every word of that 
 had to come from me or them, and it's 
 not true that I snared beaver. Beaver 
 must be caught with trajps^ So I got it 
 unsnared, and comforted him ; and, profit- 
 ing by Carson's criticism, I let the actors 
 
 * Colonel Carson, now on active duty in New 
 Mexico. 
 
32 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 speak for themselves. I should explain 
 that all that I give from Major Zagonyi 
 was taken down, at one sitting, roughly, 
 as memoranda, not as a smooth, connected 
 account, — for which there was not time. 
 
III. 
 
 (ZAGONYI SPEAKING.) 
 
 "At the outbreak of the rebellion I had 
 the idea to recruit cavalry, but the order 
 appeared that only one regiment will be 
 accepted from all the loyal States ; this 
 at once cooled down all the zeal what I 
 had, being unable to understand how, with- 
 out cavalry, will carry on the war, — know- 
 ing by experience that in no country, and 
 less in America, (so big it is,) can 
 any general accomplish this with success. 
 Cavalry is necessary for the security of 
 an army ; without that, no reconnoitring 
 can be made on the enemy's ground, — 
 incursions so in small as large scale to 
 annoy them day and night, disturbing 
 
34} THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 them so that they shall never have a 
 night's repose, beside covering our own 
 movements so completely that the enemy 
 shall not be able to form any exact idea 
 from what point, and by what strength, 
 and with what disposition, and when, he 
 shall be attacked. 
 
 "Artillery is to fight the battle. Cav- 
 alry is to find where to fight it, and how 
 to finish it. 
 
 "Was the intention now to form a body 
 of picked men, each to be as officer. As 
 was raised regiments, could be taken from 
 this corps well-trained officers. 
 
 " Commenced on the tenth August. On 
 twelfth, was sworn in first company, and 
 was excluded over two hundred men. 
 Besides, from seven States came applica- 
 tion by letters. These, and inside press- 
 ure in St. Louis, compelled the General 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. S5 
 
 to order a second company. After came 
 the offer of the Kentucky company, which, 
 Kentucky being in such a " (mo- 
 tion of the hand Hke a boat rocking) 
 " the General could not refuse. Hav- 
 ing three companies, through the cav- 
 alry regulation, we had to raise a fourth 
 to make the battalion. More so, because 
 letters was lying over from lawyers, doc- 
 tors, young men of good famihes with 
 recommendation from governors, judges, 
 mayors of cities, &c. Besides some from 
 Visconsin, where I was asked that, if the 
 General sends me with his name that he 
 wants it, and as an officer that we know, 
 you can have five thousand men. 
 
 " And it turned out that the fourth com- 
 pany beat the others, so fine it was. The 
 fourth company was a beautiful company; 
 was not needed to force it to be filled up. 
 
36 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 But only hundred days' campaign cut them 
 short that they was not to see actual 
 service. AppHcation was made of offi- 
 cers to get position in the Guard ; every 
 one was refused, being the rule that 
 every officer was to be raised from the 
 ranks." 
 
 (The Kentucky company elected their 
 officers. The others Major Zagonyi se- 
 lected. They were regularly mustered in 
 for three years or the war, by an expe- 
 rienced mustering officer of the regular 
 army, — Captain, now Colonel Tracy.) 
 
 "For one month I [Zagonyi] com- 
 manded the four companies, drilled them, 
 with hardly any officers or non-commis- 
 sioned officers, as captain ; later, on the 
 nineteenth September, being promoted to 
 be a major — the regulation gives a lieu- 
 tenant-colonel to four companies. Was 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. S^ 
 
 only one captain in the four companies, 
 Captain Foley, by election ; the rest of the 
 officers was as lieutenant, and was every 
 one fit to be captains and even major, 
 one, and he never served before. They was 
 put through hard drilling, riding in the 
 school, besides going out every day on the 
 outskirt of the city and made through all 
 the manoeuvres that in the field can be used, 
 and it did cost many a bruised fiice and 
 body and a couple of ribs. So that they 
 had hardly any time for rest or amusement. 
 Besides, in the midnight received orders 
 many a time to march out in fifteen 
 twenty minutes, to be on the ground where 
 intended disturbances was expected, to be 
 ready for every emergency — and generally 
 was fifty men ordered, and before the fifty 
 left the camp every man who had horse 
 and saddle was in the rank, — nobody 
 
38 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 would remain behind. I selected every 
 horse ; not a single horse came in the 
 Guard which did not go through my m- 
 spection. 
 
 " The evening before we left St. Louis 
 we did not have sabres enough, nor did 
 the rest of the cavalry regiments. I found 
 out, (Capt. Callender was perfectly rough 
 and used me badly; I had to tell him, 
 Excuse me, Captain, but I never took 
 an insulting word, and you must answer 
 me decently,) in short, I find out from 
 a trusted man that sabres was at the 
 arsenal before Capt. Callender knew it, 
 and the order was written and gone 
 to the arsenal before he knew they are 
 there. 
 
 " Sabres, Beale's revolvers, and Colt's car- 
 bine with stock attachment, which we dis- 
 attached in the attack, using revolver only. 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. $9 
 
 Besides, the night before leaving camp by 
 Jefferson City, the General gave each offi- 
 cer a pair of revolvers. Was well armed 
 and well mounted." 
 
IV. 
 
 THEIR DEPARTURE. 
 
 Unprepared as other things were, the 
 right season had come ; and many points 
 were right which marked this as the time 
 for an advance of the army, first against 
 the rebel force under General Price, and — 
 after freeing the State from that and es- 
 tablishing peace in the rear — then to com- 
 mence the downward move to New Or- 
 leans. This ultimate object was compre- 
 hended by the whole army, to whom, 
 as Western men, the Mississippi was 
 the natural tide to fortune, for want of 
 whose conmierce their States were perish- 
 ing. It was with the quick cooperation 
 of interest as well as patriotism that they 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 41 
 
 entered into the idea of making every 
 sacrifice for success. Very willingly, there- 
 fore, they took the field, only partially 
 equipped in clothing, and very partially 
 in provisions. One single track railway, 
 and a river with more snags and sand- 
 bars than water, at that season, were the 
 only means of getting the large army and 
 its supplies up to Lexington, which was 
 the point moved against, about two hun- 
 dred and fifty miles above St. Louis. The 
 river was unusually low, and the weather 
 remained sunny and open. A small gun- 
 boat, improvised from a ferry-boat,* and 
 carrying five nine-inch Dahlgren guns, was 
 relied on for river-service, and much was 
 hoped from her aid at Lexington. But no 
 
 * Since famous under Captain Porter as The Essex. 
 She was then The New Era, and commanded by Captain 
 Rodgers, who had superintended her fitting out. 
 
42 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 ingenuity could get her to draw less than 
 five and a half feet, and on some of the 
 bars there was not four feet water. 
 
 When the retreat of Price turned the 
 movement more immediately southward, it 
 seemed as if difficulties would vanish. Corn 
 was getting ripe and hard in the fields, cat- 
 tle could be secured by scouts and driven 
 on the hoof, fresh corn-meal could be had 
 wherever there were mills, and a day's halt 
 could always be made to grind enough; 
 or, if that delay would lose valuable time, 
 they could, for the object, live on meat 
 alone. All along their route the forage 
 would be in the right state in the fields, 
 so that the delays and expense of great 
 transportation trains were to be avoided, and 
 yet neither men nor animals suffer. With 
 Memphis and New Orleans in the near 
 future, hardships were felt to be temporary. 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 43 
 
 Time enough for feasting or fastidiousness 
 when the victory was won. 
 
 It was a stirring, eager, hopeful time, 
 that just before their leaving St. Louis. 
 The offices and halls at headquarters were 
 humming with life, and the clank and ring 
 of sabre and spur were sounding-notes of 
 coming battle all the day long, and far into 
 the nights. 
 
 More harmonious and efficient cooper- 
 ation could not be than that received by the 
 General from his staff": — there were also 
 some loyal citizens whose brief visits always 
 resulted in advantage to the army. Work- 
 ing so late into the nights, it got to be 
 one of our habits to have tea Russian- 
 fashion, — so that without keeping the ser- 
 vants from their rest, we could still have 
 it to refresh us and keep us roused. It 
 will always stay with me as one of the 
 
44f THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 most pleasant memories of that most wear- 
 ing and most welcome work of my life, 
 how they came to that cool upper-hall, and 
 in a hurried interval drank tea, and gave 
 condensed summaries of the work or news; 
 — sometimes several would gather at the 
 same time, and little animated discussions 
 would go on, the latter part of the time 
 chiefly as to what could be done without. 
 It was so good to see the kind smile of 
 amusement with which the veterans in ex- 
 posure listened to such arguments. Such 
 sufferings outlined in a few words, as would 
 sometimes come from them ! It made a 
 respectful blush cover the young faces that 
 had been planning what they thought sacri- 
 fices. " Is no need of tents," says General 
 Asboth. "In Hungary we make a winter 
 campaign and we sleep without tents, our 
 feet to the fire, — sometimes our ears did 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 45 
 
 freeze," (the General's ears and his feet 
 are a long way apart). But the least 
 concern on all minds was the open enemy 
 in the field. 
 
 On the 26th September, they left St. 
 Louis, — the General and a few officers 
 going by rail, and the Guard with their 
 horses by the somewhat slower route of the 
 river. Really, necessary stores and trans- 
 portation were wanting ; and it must be 
 borne in mind, that, but for these impedi- 
 ments General Price would have been cer- 
 tainly overtaken, his army most probably 
 defeated, and quiet for the winter secured to 
 Missouri. The New Year would have 
 found our flag at Memphis, and, it was 
 reasonably hoped, the usual spring trade 
 would descend the river to New Orleans. 
 
 To accustom the troops to feel their 
 
46 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 strength was part of their training, and 
 occasions for skirmishing were always ac- 
 cepted. The oldest troops in this Missis- 
 sippi army were hardly of the date at which 
 Bonaparte was willing to use his, — six 
 weeks ; but the longest drill could not 
 have made them more patient of hardship, 
 more self-denying, or more cheerful under 
 fatigue and privation. " New Orleans, and 
 home again by summer," was their main- 
 spring. Sigel earned the name of the 
 " Flying Dutchman," so jealously did he 
 keep his division in the adv^ance, — Gen- 
 eral Asboth nearest him, — General Fre- 
 mont, with the Guard, overtaking Sigel 
 and keeping up with him. 
 
 In this good heart they started. The 
 following letters belong here. 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 4^ 
 
 "Jefferson City, September 28, 1861. 
 
 " Madame, — 
 
 "I am now on tvaiting duty in the hall, 
 and Jack is busily engaged in writing 
 despatches in the General's room, which 
 contains also three beds, three tables, two 
 wash-stands, the General himself. Colonel 
 Eaton, one or two of the amateur aids, 
 and a wood-fire. In short, it is ' Hd. 
 Qrs., W. D.' condensed into a space of 
 twelve feet square. Under these circum- 
 stances, and knowing that no one else 
 who would think of such a thing will have 
 the time to carry the plan into execution, 
 Adlatus R. seizes a stray piece of paper 
 to jot down a few of the incidents of our 
 journey and our reception. 
 
 " We had a very quiet, slow, pleasant 
 passage, with no other interruption than 
 stopping at all the bridges, &c. . . . 
 
48 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 " On reaching the depot here, we were 
 met by Gen. Price and a red lantern, — 
 which constituted the extent of our recep- 
 tion. You ought to hear Major Zagonyi 
 hold forth on that affair. Gen. P., in 
 citizen's clothes, bearing his lantern, led 
 the way over mud-puddles and pitfalls, 
 with Gen. F. and Gen. A. The unhappy 
 staff straggled on behind. At length we 
 arrived at the Virginia Hotel, and found 
 that no preparations had been made for 
 our comfort. Major White and your hum- 
 ble servant, the ' Adl.,' were employed till 
 nearly twelve o'clock, in quartering the 
 staff. If we had not studied the science 
 of ' Quarterstaff,' I don't think we should 
 ever have got through. Major Z., Jack 
 and I slept in the General's office after he 
 went to bed. 
 
 " Gen. Price — who is one of the most 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 40 
 
 good-natured men it has been my lot to 
 meet — took Zagonyi and men to a hotel, 
 and mildly asked, ' Can you accommodate 
 my good friends here '? ' ' wich they sed 
 they couldn't Mum.' Whereupon the gal- 
 lant little major stepped up and said, 
 ' You must give my boys to sleep, else 
 I put you in the street,' which ended in 
 their taking seventy-two men ! 
 
 " ' Every man has his Price,' you know; 
 would that every soldier had his ' Za- 
 gonyi ! ' 
 
 " The mail is closing, and these little bits 
 of intelligence are good for nothing, unless 
 I send them soon. 
 
 " Hoping that some weary moment, be- 
 guiled by the little history of our ludi- 
 crous reception, may excuse the liberty I 
 have taken, 
 
 "I remain, &c., &c., R." 
 
50 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 "Jefferson City, 
 " 29tli Sept. — 8 in morning. 
 
 " Yesterday occupied in work of re- 
 quisitions, moving ahead troops, and pla- 
 cing them. We feel severely the want of 
 equipments and arms, especially for cav- 
 alry. We have, almost literally speaking, 
 no appropriately-armed cavalry in the field. 
 But I am hoping daily now to hear of 
 the arrival of sabres. . . I am about 
 going into camp this forenoon, and it 
 threatens rain. 
 
 " Tell Dr. Van Bur en that I have writ- 
 ten for the surgeon he recommended to 
 me, and ask him to aid to have him 
 come.* 
 
 " See the Sanitary Committee, and tell 
 them that the whole Surgical Department 
 
 * Dr. Suckley. The General had the benefit of Dr. 
 Suckley's services in Virginia last summer. 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 51 
 
 here is in a very bad condition, — it gives 
 me great anxiety. Therefore, as soon as 
 they can spare Dr. Mills for a short time, 
 I would be very glad to have him, that 
 I may get the condition of the army in 
 this respect better, before they get into 
 the field. In the event of an action, we 
 should be in a very bad condition." 
 
 "J. C. F." 
 
V. 
 
 AT JEFFERSON CITY. 
 
 Seeing lie should be detained some 
 days in that place, the General tele- 
 graphed us to come up. The ride up 
 was full of painful contrasts to my old 
 memories and more especially my last 
 journey through the State. I had so 
 often gone to the frontier with Mr. Fre- 
 mont, when he was starting on his over- 
 land journeys, or to meet him on his re- 
 turn, that my own associations with the State 
 were of the hospitality and kind sympathy 
 so often and so warmly given to me by its 
 people. They would have done as much 
 for any of my father's daughters; but to 
 me new kindnesses were added because of 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 53 
 
 Mr. Fremont's sharing that life so full of 
 traditions and perils. The Indian country, 
 with its vague mountain boundary, is to 
 frontiersmen what the sea and its dangers 
 are to coast people — bringing like sympa- 
 thies. 
 
 After seeing Mr. Fremont off in the 
 fall of '58, I found the river so low 
 that I left the boat which had brought 
 me from Independence, and got off at 
 Washington to go down by land. 
 
 Although but about eighty miles above 
 St. Louis, the river falls so low in the 
 autumn, that it was very probable (as 
 proved the fact) that the steamboat would 
 require several days to make the distance. 
 
 I was quite alone. My good Marie, tired 
 by the rapid journey from Washington, 
 which we were so soon to retrace, had 
 been left in St. Louis to recruit, and so 
 
54i THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 I was landed from a little boat, without 
 explanation or introduction, all by myself, 
 among a whole crowd on the bank, \A'ho 
 had gathered — it was Sunday afternoon 
 — to watch the boat stop, and wonder 
 at the passenger leaving it. There was 
 no mark on my trunk, and it was rather 
 embarrassing. The clerk of the boat had 
 told me there were only Germans there, 
 and no communication with the railway, 
 which was then finished only to a point 
 about twenty-seven miles lower down. 
 But I was restless, and anywhere in Mis- 
 souri I felt at home. 
 
 I spoke to a fatherly-looking man, 
 to whom I explained that the river was 
 low, and I was anxious to get to St. 
 Louis immediately, and asked to be shown 
 the way to the hotel. In a very grave 
 and silent way he turned up the bank, 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 55 
 
 signing me to follow, which I did, a 
 little troubled, but much more amused by 
 the whole crowd following in solemn 
 silence. If it had been an American 
 town, all the necessary, and some unne- 
 cessary, questions would have been asked 
 and answered in the first fiYe minutes. 
 But we made our way up the hill and 
 into the clean, ugly, comfortable town, 
 and I was shown into the "best room" of 
 a large house, whose mistress and daugh- 
 ters came forward and made me as 
 quietly welcome as though they knew 
 me. Their faces, the furniture, the vio- 
 lins and guitar, and high pile of music- 
 books; the pretty bright light hair of the 
 women, too-tightly-plaited, all were Ger- 
 many itself. I pleased myself by accept- 
 ing this unquestioning hospitality as it was 
 given, and still did not give my name, 
 
56 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 — only asking a room, as I found I could 
 not get any conveyance until the next 
 day. Even then, they could only offer to 
 see about one, having nothing themselves. 
 It was all so odd, so primitive, so 
 truly good and hospitable, that I was at 
 once and most pleasantly relieved of all 
 embarrassment. The daughters went up 
 to prepare a room, and the mother soon 
 showed me to it. I had taken off my hat 
 and gloves, and was smoothing my hair, 
 when the mother — who had remained in 
 the room — caught up my glove, and burst- 
 ing into tears, cried out a sobbing speech 
 to me : — " Ah, dear God ! You are a 
 lady from my country ; — you are from 
 Hesse Cassel. The ladies in my country 
 wear these gloves when they go hunting 
 with the king. They have stopped in 
 their carriages at my door, and I have 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 5^ 
 
 carried them to drink. It is twenty-four 
 years since I come away from my coun- 
 try ; but I love it best — ah ! " — and 
 then she let the tears downfall, for the 
 lost home. 
 
 Straight from Hesse Cassel to Mis- 
 souri ! — in 1829, too, when it was so 
 new. She had never left her new home. 
 Sometimes her husband went to St. Louis. 
 Otto wanted to go there, and he was 
 twenty-three now ; he ought to go to see 
 it, &c., &c. It was hard to make her 
 realize I was American. " But you have 
 color in your face ! " — biennial ague was 
 her experience, and she could not conceive 
 of exemption from it. But when I told 
 her who I was, I think she was as pleased 
 as if I had been a lady hunting with the 
 kinof. It loosened the tono^ues of all the 
 family. My father was personally known 
 
58 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 to some, and they all held him as their 
 own property. As they explained to me, 
 " He is our Senator, and a friend to the 
 Germans." One son-in-law was gone on 
 a tradinor- excursion towards New Mexico. 
 His young wife attached herself to my 
 side, and there was an unspoken bond 
 between us. It happened to be the an- 
 niversary of the old people's wedding. 
 They were so glad I was there that day. 
 Such an elaborate, bountiful repast ! 
 
 After the early supper, they all gath- 
 ered in the large room, which was posi- 
 tively elegant from its glistening cleanli- 
 ness, and the window-seats filled with 
 plants, and the large table in the cen- 
 tre, covered with music and instruments. 
 With the same delightful simplicity and 
 absence of consciousness which had marked 
 everything else among them, each took 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUxVRD. 5Q 
 
 his instrument and place by the table, — 
 sons and sons-in-law, — the father and 
 several of the younger women taking 
 their music, and then followed piece after 
 piece of such music as only Germans can 
 play rightly, — occasionally all joining in 
 a lovely song. 
 
 Wonderfully large tumblers of beer 
 stood by each musician, but there was 
 but little break to what was, evidently, 
 their habitual evening's occupation — not 
 even when one substantial citizen after 
 another came in to make his respects to 
 my father through me, and to wish a 
 good voyage to Mr. Fremont. 
 
 Very early the next morning I start- 
 ed to make the intervening twenty-seven 
 miles, in the best conveyance the sud- 
 den demand could afford — a country-cart 
 without springs, and a plough-horse. And 
 
60 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 SO, in the gray dawn, I left these kind 
 people, loaded with presents from their best 
 vintages for my father, and followed by 
 their kindest good ^\'ishes for myself. Otto, 
 farmer, tenor, and guitarist, had at length 
 his chance. He drove me to the depot, 
 and then saw me to St. Louis, where my 
 dear friend and cousin — whose charminor 
 home was then as now mine also, when 
 there — made him welcome to hospital- 
 ity as genuine as his own. although so 
 different in its fashion. 
 
 I had been long revolving many mem- 
 ories when we reached the dining-station of 
 Hermann — also a German town, and very 
 near this town of Washington. Xow, as 
 then, the Germans were friends ; but along 
 the whole route guards were stationed. We 
 moved slowly, at best, as we had a heavy 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 61 
 
 train, nearly a regiment, and some artil- 
 lery; and at every bridge the train stop- 
 ped and parleyed with the force on 
 guard ; then, feeling the way cautiously, 
 we moved forward again. The new 
 timbers in some of the bridges, with 
 the charred remains on the shore, ex- 
 plained some of this caution ; — but every- 
 where the stamp of insecurity was on 
 the country. No more careless travel 
 among a friendly people. My good old 
 frontier friends, I fear, are mostly gone 
 secessionward. 
 
 It was so good to reach home-faces 
 at the close of the day. The General 
 was at the depot to meet us, as were 
 quite a number of officers, whose wives 
 had taken this last chance of seeing 
 them. We had room for some in the 
 large ambulance waiting for us, and 
 
62 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 drove out to the camp, while our fellow- 
 passengers — the regiment — took the 
 drier and more direct road over the 
 hills, their flao;- seemino^ to wave us an 
 assurance of welcome and protection. 
 
 Soon we were in a loyal atmosphere, 
 where a Sihley tent, with a board floor, 
 and a glowing camp-fire in front, made 
 again the old pleasant effect of frontier 
 hospitality. 
 
 Our stay was over in a few days. Early 
 on Monday we saw the tents struck and 
 the whole force move off; as my youngest 
 boy said, " packed up for the battle-field," 
 and then took our way back to St. Louis. 
 But the day before having been very hot, 
 the General fixed the hour before sun- 
 down for the Evening-Service, and then 
 was the real leave-taking of the troops, 
 who were with the rising* of the sun to 
 
THE STORY OF TPIE GUARD. QS 
 
 turn their faces away from their river 
 and inarch inland. Nearest the Staff stood 
 the Guard drawn up in open square. 
 They justified all Zagonyi has said of 
 them. All of nearly the same age and 
 height, with great similarity of habits 
 and of education, and all guided by the 
 same enthusiasm in a noble cause, they 
 looked what they w^re : the true, knightly 
 embodiment of war. Their compact un- 
 , adorned uniform of dark blue gave depth 
 of tone to the picture, as they stood 
 relieved against the setting sun and the 
 nearer groundwork of autumnal foliage. 
 At the close of the services, their band 
 played the dear old hymn of " Old Hun- 
 dred," and these manly young voices sang 
 its grand and simple prayer, and then all 
 heads bared to the benediction. After a 
 moment's pause, at the regular military 
 
64 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 drum-beat they fell back to their soldier- 
 life and walk, and went on their way, and 
 I saw them all no more. 
 
 As the liffht died from the skv the 
 camp-fires brightened on the far hill-sides; 
 from all the camps we could hear late 
 into the night hymn-tunes ; — and so, 
 with reverent hearts and heightened pur- 
 pose, they made their farewell to their 
 homes. 
 
 When the Emperor — then still Pres- 
 ident — gave back the Imperial Eagles 
 to the French army, the banners were all 
 blessed at an altar erected on the Champ 
 de Mars. Over sixty thousand troops were 
 on the ground, and the surrounding crowd 
 was in hundreds of thousands. That used 
 to stay on my memory as the grandest of 
 religious war ceremonies : that great host 
 bowing reverently as the sacred symbol 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. Q5 
 
 was elevated over the emblem of the old 
 glories of France. But far more touch- 
 ing and impressive is it now to remember 
 this home-scene with all its terrible inner 
 history of a Cain-and-Abel strife, and rec- 
 ognize that our army not only felt it could 
 ask the blessing of God, but that it did 
 so ; — and it will be given. What is sown 
 in tears and weakness now shall yet be 
 raised in power. 
 
 " When I thouglit that a war would arise in defence 
 of the right, 
 
 That an iron tyranny now sbould bend or cease, 
 The glory of manhood stand on his ancient height, 
 
 Nor the nation's one sole God be the milhonnaire ; -^ 
 
 And as months ran on and rumor of battle grew, 
 
 It is time, it is time, O passionate heart, said I, 
 
 (For I cleaved to a cause that I felt to be pure and 
 
 true,) 
 
 5 
 
66 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 And I stood on a giant deck and mixed my breath 
 With a loyal people shouting a battle-cry, 
 Till I saw the dreary phantom arise and fly 
 
 Far into the North, and battle, and seas of death. 
 
 Let it go or stay, so I wake to the higher aims 
 
 Of a land that has lost for a little her lust of gold, 
 
 And love of a peace that was full of wrongs and 
 shames : 
 Horrible, hateful, monstrous, not to be told ; 
 And hail once more to the banner of battle unrolled. 
 
 wind, 
 We have proved we have hearts in a cause, we are 
 noble still, 
 And myself have awaked, as it seems, to the better 
 mind ; 
 It is better to fight for the good than to rail at the 
 
 ill; 
 
 I have felt with my native land, I am one with my 
 
 kind, 
 I embrace the purpose of God, and the doom assigned." 
 
VI. 
 
 EN KOUTE. 
 
 I HAVE chosen to give some letters in my 
 possession rather than a connected narrative 
 of the march. These letters contain many- 
 items of interest, and form the best con- 
 necting link with Springfield. Some of 
 them are from two young officers whom 
 I had long known in their families at 
 New York, part addressed to me, and 
 part to private friends, who kindly placed 
 them at my disposal. 
 
 "Jefferson City, Oct. 4, 1862. 
 " . . . . Night before last, Major 
 Frank White and Jack were called from 
 their beds to ' saddle and away ' with im- 
 
68 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 portant orders. No sooner were they 
 gone, and I fairly settled again, sleepily 
 glad that it wasn't I, than the alarm was 
 beat, or rather sounded in camp. Now 
 those persevering buglers practise the alarm 
 all day long in the woods about camp; 
 and I am compelled to say that its repe- 
 tition at midnight startled nobody, except 
 the Guard, who were in the saddle al- 
 most instantly. As for the Staff, they 
 slumbered in sweet security, until the gal- 
 lant Zagonyi went round to every tent, 
 putting in his head and saying, ' Gentle- 
 men, it is the alarm ! You will please 
 to get up in one minute ! ' 
 
 " At this we jumped up. What was 
 my consternation to find that the boys 
 had ' taken their pick ' of boots and spurs 
 when they went, leaving me with one odd 
 boot. But there was no time to lose; so 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 69 
 
 I rushed out into the parade-ground, with 
 a slipper on the other foot. The General 
 stood, silent and courteous, before his tent, 
 and received our reports. I kept my best 
 foot foremost, and escaped notice in the 
 dark. Some slight disturbance had occa- 
 sioned the alarm; but the General wished 
 
 to try the Staff and Guard. and 
 
 did not get up at all. I think 
 
 they had the best of it, unless the Gen- 
 eral may have noticed their absence, in 
 which case they may be sure they are 
 ' down a peg,' and won't recover it very 
 soon. Well, we all went to bed, and 
 reveille awoke us at four. 
 
 " Last night. Jack and I were called 
 to write despatches and then carry them. 
 The orders were no less than march at 
 daylight ! to many of the troops. The 
 General has a penchant, which I regard 
 
•^O THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 with unaflfected hostility, for writing or- 
 ders at 1 A. M., and sending them as 
 soon as the ink is dry. It is true, he is 
 safe from rebel spies by this means; but 
 consider the unpleasant position in which 
 it places a merely ornamental young gen- 
 tleman, who, being deceived by the Public 
 Press, thought that Fremont's aids had 
 nothing to do but look their prettiest and 
 draw their pay. I am sorry to say that 
 neither of these interesting occupations lies 
 open to us. Instead thereof, the most 
 abominable night -rides, over roads that 
 yawn with chasms and are red with bot- 
 tomless mud, past sentinels who invari- 
 ably cock the gun, aim at your head, 
 and put finger to the trigger when they 
 challenge you, in vain search after mythic 
 camps. Alas ! couldn't the General have 
 arranged the Art of War so as to omit 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. ^l 
 
 rainy nights and keep a fellow comfort- 
 able ! 
 
 " At all events, it was very comfortable 
 to get back to bed, towards morning. 
 Before we could fall asleep, however, the 
 rattle of the ' long roll ' on the hills 
 around showed that the orders were be- 
 ginning to work. The Staff was thor- 
 oughly aroused. Several came to our 
 tent, to know if we could explain the 
 rumpus. Alarm beating, men under arms, 
 cooks lighting their fires, and all the signs 
 of the dickens to pay. We pretended 
 great ignorance, — said it was only a 
 cZrwwz-alarm, and had nothing to do with 
 our camp, which answers to the bugle. 
 It was amusing to see the very ones who 
 lay abed the night before, now so lively 
 about nothing at all. 
 
 " This morning by seven, the white 
 
7^ THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 tents which so thickly studded the hills 
 were gone, and nothing to be seen but 
 men marching, or sitting around their 
 fires, drinking their morning coffee. 
 
 '• The General has ordered strong cof- 
 fee to the troops every morning at day- 
 light. It not only keeps off ague, but 
 warms them up, and puts them in good 
 humor." 
 
 " Camp Asboth, near Tipton, 
 " Oct. 9, 3 p. M. 
 
 " . . We are encamped about a mile 
 beyond the town, the neighborhood of 
 which shows more the gathering of an 
 army by a great deal than you saw at 
 Jefferson City. Where we camped last 
 night, at California, the country round is 
 all secession ; but a- few miles this side we 
 fell into an enthusiastic loyal population, 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. JS 
 
 who came out along the road to express 
 their pleasure at our coming. About this 
 town there is more secession again, but 
 the rebel part have mostly left. Price is 
 still retreating. . . . 
 
 " I am endeavoring hard to get the army 
 a little better equipped. I had hoped to 
 get the arms, a portion of which are being 
 altered at Cincinnati, and some more sabres. 
 In many things Captain McKeever and 
 Captain Callender have worked very effi- 
 ciently to aid me, and we shall be much 
 better equipped than I had hoped. The 
 army is in the best kind of spirits, and 
 before we get through I will show you a 
 little California* practice, that is, if we 
 are not interrupted. I think we can do 
 something good. 
 
 * In allusion to the fine marching of the California 
 Battalion in 1845-46. 
 
74i THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 "... I want very much to see Cap- 
 tain Foote if he is in St. Louis. If not, 
 I will write him by . 
 
 " .... I send you Whittier's lines. 
 What a fine illustration might be made 
 of them. The rice-field with its acces- 
 sories, the slaves at work, and the raised 
 and listening heads as they first catch the 
 sounds from far off. Be of good heart, — 
 we are fulfilling the task allotted to us, 
 and we will try to do it bravely 
 
 " Our force about the State begins to 
 work well. When the alarm came to me 
 yesterday about Hermann, I was able to as- 
 semble men around it so quickly that there 
 must have been three thousand three hun- 
 dred there this morning, and this evening 
 seven hundred more of cavalry in rear of 
 rebels, and Wyman. with thirteen hundred 
 more available. So there would have been 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. ^5 
 
 no clamor about reenforcements. After a 
 
 few weeks in the field, this will be one 
 
 of the finest armies in the world. 
 • ••••• 
 
 "J. C. F." 
 
 " Camp Asboth, lOth. 
 
 "... I received this morning 's 
 
 despatch informing- me that the Secretary 
 at War and General Thomas will be in 
 St. Louis to-day. I am going on with 
 formation of the plan I had indicated to 
 you in my letter of yesterday. What the 
 full plan is, I will let you know by sure 
 
 hand, and will also inform , so 
 
 that you and he may work together in aid 
 of it. All this, provided I am not inter- 
 fered with. General Price is on the 
 Osage, pretty high up, retreating towards 
 
76 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 the south. His object is to effect junction 
 with McCullough. That is, he says so. 
 But in my judgment he intends retreating 
 into Arkansas. McCullough, I am sure, 
 is not in Missouri. We are having a 
 severe rain-storm. 
 
 a 
 
 J. C. F." 
 
 " Camp Asboth, 
 " 1 h. 40 m., 10th Oct. 
 
 I have written you lots of scraps to- 
 day. It is raining and storming hard, 
 but the rain does not delay us much, 
 for the railroad serves nearly as well as 
 in fine weather, and 1 am getting a 
 chance to get from below what little 
 transportation means we have on hand. 
 This makes our great difficulty. 
 
 I want the Secretary at War to put 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. ^ 
 
 an end to that kind of action which is 
 impeding" me hy producing want of con- 
 fidence. I think is not 
 
 friendly to me, and therefore I have a 
 right to demand that he he at once re- 
 moved from my department. I think he 
 has heen purposely sent with the object, 
 that being unfriendly he would embarrass 
 me. I ought not to have impediments — 
 circumstances always bring enough neces- 
 sarily. ..... 
 
 «J. C. F." 
 
 " Camp Asboth, near Tipton, 
 " Oct. 10, 1861. 
 
 " It being a rainy day, a leisure day, 
 
 and not my day to swear, I am in a fit 
 
 mood to remember your kind request, and 
 
 report to you concerning the various 
 
 little incidents and accidents of the march 
 
78 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 and bivouac, which give on the whole a 
 truer picture of us than documents and 
 despatches by the score. Behold me, 
 therefore, seated on my bed (!) lifting my 
 heels at intervals from the wet ground, 
 muffled in a great overcoat, and writing 
 on my knees. 
 
 "Let me plunge at once m medias res. 
 The first day's ride was delightful, even 
 to the heavy men. They were all re- 
 joiced, at the end of nine miles, when 
 we stopped for the night, to find how 
 well they bore ' the hardships of a sol- 
 dier's life.' Our first camp was pitched 
 in a swamp, for the same reason why 
 John went to a certain place — ' because 
 there was much water there.' Captain 
 Haskell, who selected the ground, said 
 water was a great thing. It is the unan- 
 imous opinion of the ' Adlati ' that water 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. '^Q 
 
 is a very large thing indeed ; and not a 
 pleasant bedfellow. The fever-and-ague 
 has made its appearance in camp already; 
 and those preserved strawberries, put up 
 by the ' United Society of Shakers ' be- 
 gin to bear an ominous significance. 
 
 "The next morning, who should appear, 
 careering about the field, but Wamba,* 
 mounted on a fiery horse whose paces 
 he was exhibiting. It is my private im- 
 pression that Wamba is made of wood — 
 head and all ; and having been wound 
 up to go as an infantry corporal, his 
 machinery cannot be altered until he is 
 made an infantry spiritual and angelic. 
 On the present occasion he assumed, in 
 
 * Wamba was an old regular, on duty as the Gen- 
 eral's orderly. His blue uniform, with lighter blue 
 chevrons and stiff leather stock, suggested woad-dyeing 
 and serf collar, and got him his sobriquet. 
 
80 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 spite of the interpolated horse, the com- 
 plete ' position of a soldier : head erect, 
 eyes front, hand grasping the seam of 
 the pantaloons, palm forward, heels mori? 
 or less apart, feet at a strong divergent 
 angle,' &c. The noble steed himself caught 
 the spirit cf the occasion, fancied himself 
 in the ranks, and considered Wamba 
 an Enfield, which it was his business 
 alternately to ' ground ' and ' shoulder ' 
 with all possible speed. To complete the 
 picture, General Asboth and ' The General ' 
 stood in front of their tents witnessing 
 the display. At its close. Gen. A. said 
 benevolently, ' Ah, my dear, I see you are 
 not Cavalerist ! ' and General Fremont 
 laughed more heartily than I have ever 
 seen him before: — at which Wamba was 
 overcome with delight, and interjected a 
 salute between two bounds of his horse. 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 81 
 
 Such was Camp Lovejoy. We have 
 played upon the Colonel's generosity and 
 innocence, until we convinced him that it 
 was ^ the correct thing ' for him to send 
 round wine in honor of the naming 
 of our second camp after him — whence 
 the claret already mentioned. 
 
 " Alas ! what am I writing ! Who knows 
 but I shall be 'jugged' for 'conduct 
 unbecoming,' &c. &c. The colonels and 
 majors and captains are all my superior 
 officers ; and hereafter I shall not even 
 have the poor consolation of seeing how 
 they ride, for last night came the terri- 
 ble order that the Staff shall ride two 
 and two, according to rank. This puts 
 a half-dozen of captains between Jack 
 and me, and sets me back among the 
 unknown. Wretched me ! . . . . 
 
 " The insane passion for riding six 
 6 
 
82 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 abreast in narrow or muddy roads, which 
 seems to seize all the junior members 
 of the Staff, has led to this new arrange- 
 ment, which Jack and I, I believe, were 
 the first to susforest, althouo^h it results in 
 separating us. Hereafter, each man is 
 doomed to one neighbor, and no variety 
 in conversation. The list is made out 
 in the order ; and after enumerating the 
 larger animals, two and two. as Noah 
 did, closes with ' Lt. R., ^c' Now wasn't 
 it cruel to make me ride with, '&c.' 1 Who 
 the fellow is, I don't know, but I have a 
 horrid intuition that it is the man with 
 a mule!* Would you believe it] Colonel 
 Eaton brought this document of doom 
 to our tent, last night, and I was de- 
 tailed to go from tent to tent, and read 
 
 * A surgeon's assistant, who had not been able to ob- 
 ain a horse, in the hurry of departure. 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUAED. 83 
 
 it to the Staff! ' O torture most re- 
 fined !'.... 
 
 "There is a report here that the enemy 
 is trying to get away, but cannot cross 
 the Osage River. This is jolly, if true, 
 and indicates a speedy chance of battle. 
 The worst of it is, we are not in the 
 advance, and don't seem likely to be. 
 
 "The General looks well, and I think 
 enjoys himself much better than in Ori- 
 ental St. Louis. By the way, I hear 
 that mule is to be ordered out of the 
 Staff, because it savors of ' Oriental 
 Pomp.' The Queen of Sheba and the 
 Khan of Tartary, together with Shahs, 
 Pashas, Effendi and Howadji innumerable, 
 rode or ride on mules. Mules being, 
 therefore. Oriental, let their tribe be con- 
 fined to the ' Eastern Department ! ' 
 
 "But 'Adl.' H. desires room for a line 
 
84 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 of postscript. He has gone to town in 
 rain and rage ; for he found, on calling 
 for his gray, that the stupid groom had 
 fed another gray horse by mistake, and 
 his had had nothing. Jack had finished 
 his anathemas for the day ; but I went 
 out to help him, and we issued extra 
 rations in honor of the occasion." 
 
 "Camp Asboth, lltb Oct. 1861. 
 
 "Captain Foote, and have 
 
 arrived. goes down to-night and 
 
 will see you in the morning. 
 
 " I don't think my despatch to General 
 Cameron, requesting McKinstry to be left 
 with me, reached him. Whether de- 
 tained by , or some one about him, 
 
 he can find out. General Thomas, con- 
 trary to usage and regulation, ordered 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 85 
 
 McKinstry and others from my depart- 
 ment, without doing it through me — 
 entirely overlooking and slighting me. 
 It is a discourtesy and military offence. 
 General Cameron ought to come here and 
 
 see the army Officers 
 
 were also detached by the Secretary of 
 the Navy from gun-boats, and not done 
 through me 
 
 " I have placed Captain Foote in charge 
 of all the boats belonging to the flotilla. 
 My plan is New Orleans straight ; — 
 Foote to join on the river below. I 
 think it can be done gloriously, espe- 
 cially if secret can be kept. ... It 
 would precipitate the war forward and 
 end it soon and victoriously. 
 
 " Talk freely with , Captain Foote, 
 
 and . All are true. , . 
 
 "J. C. F." 
 
86 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 " Camp Asboth, 
 
 « Oct. 12, 9^ o'clock. 
 
 " . . . . There is nothing to be said 
 in addition to what I wrote yesterday, be- 
 cause everything in my mind is at a stand- 
 still, until I know what result the visit 
 of the Secretary leaves. You don't seem 
 to feel very decided as to what course 
 the Secretary may take, but in any event 
 don't be in the least discouraged. If 
 we go on from here, we shall do well. 
 If interfered with, w shall do well in 
 another way, but I shall act with equal 
 decision in either case. So don't feel in 
 the least dispirited ; but bear in mind 
 all the time that General Thomas is my 
 enemy. He is one of those who op- 
 posed my appointment, and I am told 
 indulged in some of the abusive and 
 false language, which a certain class 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 87 
 
 about Washington had habitually permit- 
 ted to themselves in reference to me. 
 As I told you he has conducted him- 
 self discourteously to me in his com- 
 munications in reference to the army. . , 
 
 "J. C. F." 
 
 "Tuesday Morning, 15th Oct. 
 " Camp Zagonyi. 
 
 ". . . . You need not be alarmed 
 at my movements southward. They will 
 be well considered, and you must just 
 give me what aid you can 
 
 " I am about nine miles out on the road 
 to Osage River, and push right forward 
 to-day. Our force is in splendid condi- 
 tion. I intend to unite together all my 
 scattered forces, and make my army such 
 that it can go anywhere — that is, if we 
 are not interrupted, and of that I suppose 
 
88 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 we shall learn within a week. Consult 
 
 fully and freely with Mr. . Keep 
 
 your health good, and don't get agitated. 
 . . . You say well that we are con- 
 tending for honor and honorably ; our op- 
 ponents for base ends and basely. I want 
 this little note to go to you freighted 
 only with pleasant thoughts, a harbinger 
 of success, and meetings soon to come. 
 One of our little white butterflies came 
 flying around in front of my horse as I 
 rode along with the Secretary at War to 
 the review at Syracuse. — This reminds 
 me that I have not yet read the letters 
 from the Mariposas ; I will to-night. . . 
 Thank you for the sabres and guns ; send 
 any such things forward as best you can.* 
 • . • • • 
 
 "J. C. F." 
 
 ♦Perhaps I should explain, that the frequent reference 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 89 
 
 of official work to my care came not merely from Mr. 
 Fremont's long habit of referring all manner of work 
 and duties to me as acting principal in bis absence, but 
 because nearly all the General's reliable officers were 
 with him. Of those remaining, his quartermaster be- 
 came ill of fever, and was in a critically dangerous state 
 from the time of the army's leaving. The adjutant, 
 Captain McKeever, who was very active and thorough 
 In his attention to his duties, had his right arm disabled 
 by a relapse of injuries received at Bull Run, causing 
 several times so much fever and suffering as to leave 
 actually no other head than myself; for Colonel Fiala 
 also became ill, and even when he was well, General 
 Curtis would not reply to any communication from him. 
 Knowing I was always at the house, and that anything 
 requiring attention would be sure to receive it, night or 
 day, the General wrote to me for what was needed ; and 
 many a despatch was sent, and combination made at the 
 bedside of invalids too worn to sit up. Of course the 
 regular official orders came also, but in this I have only 
 quoted from private and personal papers. 
 
VII. 
 
 THE BUILDING OF THE BRIDGE. 
 
 " Warsaw, Wednesday Morning. 
 ". . . We are all well, and the 
 army in good spirits, notwithstanding the 
 rain. Nothing can stand before this lit- 
 tle army ; and if not interfered with, it will 
 do some good work. But the constant 
 expectation of being turned off from our 
 plans by the Department, annoys, and takes 
 away much of the interest. I judge that 
 the enemy is much demoralized, and much 
 of his force will leave him, if we get nigh 
 
 enough to have any effect 
 
 "J. C. F." 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. Ql 
 
 " Camp on the Banks of the Osage, 
 " October 18, Noon. 
 
 " I crossed the river this morning, and 
 have just returned to this side, where is 
 my own camp. All of Sigel's that is 
 here is already across. We have just 
 commenced a bridge, which, by to-morrow 
 night, will be ready for the passage of the 
 divisions as they come up. Meantime, Si- 
 gel's and Asboth's will be over, and we 
 shall be scouring the country in the di- 
 rection of the enemy. Our difficulty con- 
 sists absolutely and only in the want of 
 transportation. On account of this the 
 other divisions are collies to the line of 
 the railroad. Ask Captain McKeever to do 
 all that is humanly possible to get wag- 
 ons, mules, harness, and drivers sent for- 
 ward to Tipton. Meantime, I will seize 
 everything of the kind there is in the 
 
9S THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 country. The spirit of the men is some- 
 thing extraordinary ; they will at once 
 overcome anything they come in contact 
 with. But we must get our army togeth- 
 er. It won't do to risk too much. 
 
 " I understand, from other sources, that a 
 contract made by Captain Haines, for the 
 supply of cattle to this army, has been 
 annulled. We are thus thrown on our own 
 resources ; but this does not at all annoy 
 me. If it is intended to cripple me, it 
 can't be done. When I am left to my 
 own resources I have no fears. The 
 transportation business troubles me the 
 most, because it keeps back the other parts 
 
 of the anny, and produces delay. 
 
 can tell you if this is done purposely. . . 
 "J. C. Fremont." 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. QS 
 
 " Banks of the Osage, 
 
 " October 19, 8 a. m. 
 
 " Held back by want of transportation, 
 I have not been able to get the army- 
 nigh enough to the enemy to strike a 
 blow, and so I lose a victory. I crossed 
 the river yesterday afternoon, with part of 
 the Guard, and sent them forward with 
 some of Waring's cavalry. They may do 
 a little something to put a white mark on 
 the day. Hunter's, Pope's, and McKin- 
 stry's divisions are still alongside the rail- 
 road, transportation bound. But we are 
 not losing time. Bridge-building, and 
 scouring the country, gathering in teams 
 and provisions, &c., all advance the work ; 
 and the moment I can move I will do it 
 with effect. 
 
 " Can you tell me anything about War- 
 ren's cavalry] I do not send many or- 
 
94< THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 ders to St. Louis, because I do not feel 
 that they have force. The course of the 
 administration encouraged all manner of 
 disobedience and neglect on the part of 
 the officers there ; and paymasters, quar- 
 termasters, and all, feel that my orders 
 may be disregarded with impunity. . . . " 
 
 " Camp near Warsaw, 
 
 " October 17, 1861. 
 
 " As you will have seen, we have made 
 quite a respectable distance in the pursuit, 
 and have been rewarded here by rumors 
 that Price is only thirty to fifty miles 
 ahead, and waiting to give us battle ; — 
 but rumor is so unreliable. 
 
 " Three days have brought us from Tip- 
 ton, about forty miles, which may be con- 
 sidered a pretty good start for a green army. 
 We arrived last night, though not quite 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 05 
 
 in the town, encamping about a mile north 
 of it. While awaiting the baggage-trains, 
 the General, calling for some ' young offi- 
 cers to go with him,' and a company of 
 the Guard, galloped like fun through mud 
 and water, and abysmal roads, to the high 
 bluffs of the Osage River, passing through 
 the town on the way. Before getting to 
 the village, we met General Sigel, with 
 his adjutant. He had been here all day, 
 slowly putting his brigade across on one 
 small ferry-boat. He rode with us through 
 Warsaw, and we, ' from her heights, sur- 
 veyed ' the river which Price had to run 
 around to avoid thrashing, and which we 
 are about to cross in order to thrash him 
 after all. 
 
 " Having seen the possibilities of crossing, 
 we rode back to camp, — the soldiers of 
 Sigel's command filling the air with cheers 
 
96 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 and welcominof- shouts for our chief. We 
 had a pleasant enough night, and this 
 morning the tents were struck, and we 
 all moved over to the heights above the 
 river. 
 
 " While camp was being pitched, we 
 rode with the General to the ferry, where 
 he remained some time consulting Cap- 
 tain Pike, the engineer who is to put 
 the bridge through. ' Now, Captain,' 
 asked the General, ' how many hours do 
 you propose to use in bridging this river]' 
 ' It depends upon how many men I may 
 have, sir. If I have enough, you shall 
 cross by two o'clock to-morrow.' I am 
 afraid the entire lack of tools and lumber 
 will put the Captain out in his calcula- 
 tions, but we shall see. Pike will do 
 his best. The General certainly puts men 
 to their trumps. 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. Cfjf 
 
 " Camp near Warsaw, 
 " October 19, 1861. 
 
 " We have now got 
 
 well to work upon the bridge. R. has 
 been doing good service in the lumber 
 department; the north side material being 
 improvised from the debris of log-houses 
 and barns, sacrificed for the occasion, the 
 south side cut and hauled from the vir- 
 gin forest. I had been variously em- 
 ployed all the morning, writing and riding 
 for the General ; in the afternoon, he took 
 part of the Body-Guard and went out on 
 a little reconnoissance across the river. 
 As he rode off he sent me down to help 
 Captain Pike. ' See that he has all he 
 wants ; let there be no hitch ; — see that 
 everything moves,' 
 
 " So down I went, and having a rov- 
 ing commission, became a sort of ' Jack- 
 
98 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 at-all-trades,' putting in wherever it seemed 
 necessary, impressing teams and drivers, 
 getting tools, ropes, and necessary ar- 
 ticles, directing the pioneers in the woods 
 where and what to cut, hauling the tim- 
 ber from the woods, &c., &c. Pike with 
 his efficient assistants, Shepley and Kern, 
 were down on the bank, directing the busy 
 workmen, and shaping the rough hewn 
 trestles, measuring and cutting stringer 
 and brace, fixing rope and chain and bolt, 
 and putting through the more important 
 preparatory work. Lieutenant Waring 
 was in the woods, which rang with the 
 axes of his pioneers, and the shouts of 
 his teamsters, detachments from the ' fancy 
 Body-Guard,' serving extempore in both 
 capacities. And Colonel Shanks, M. C. 
 and A. D. C, — the indomitable, indefatiga- 
 ble, and tremendous, — was everywhere, driv- 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 99 
 
 ing, cutting, working in a manner wonderful 
 to behold. Now in the forest, showing the 
 workmen how to put the ox-chain on a log 
 and 'snake' it through the brush; now 
 knee-deep in the river, swearing at reluc- 
 tant 'Dutchmen'; now driving an ox- 
 team along the dusty road; — always effi- 
 ciently at work, helping all, interfering 
 with none. This, on the southern bank. 
 The other side saw Raymond inexorably 
 pulling down houses, barns, sheds, stables, 
 — anything that could furnish the proper 
 length and size of timber for this all-de- 
 vouring bridge ; impressed teams hauling 
 the materials to the bank ; refractory 
 mules kicking and plunging in the water 
 while taking the various necessaries to 
 the central island ; quiet groups of steady- 
 handed Germans getting the logs and 
 planks ready to be put together in shape ; 
 
100 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 in short it was as thorough a specimen 
 of hearty, earnest, well-put work as one 
 could wish to see. 
 
 " Meantime, I was wandering about, a 
 kind of odd wheel, but managing to ' turn 
 up ' in the right place with such fre- 
 quency as to keep me from being too 
 lazy. Among other things, tools and 
 spikes were needed. What easier than to 
 gallop over to the town, get them and 
 send them back in some unlucky wagon 
 which should chance to be near 1 Well, I 
 have seen easier things. Armed with the 
 Provost Marshal's pass, I had to go into 
 every store, question and cross-examine 
 the secesh owner who * didn't care to 
 sell,' and ' didn't know what he'd got ; ' 
 root and ransack in every corner, trip 
 and stumble through every cellar, over 
 barrels and kegs innumerable; and finally, 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. IQl 
 
 for my pains, had scraped together a few 
 aug-ers, one or two sledges, half a dozen 
 chisels, and — no more ! Then spikes 
 were needed. Surely spikes are common 
 enough in a frontier town. Vain hope ! 
 They must be created. Clothed with ple- 
 nary powers by the General, I was to take 
 any forge and set to work any smith, — 
 for The Bridge was all-important. 
 
 " I went to one large forge with four 
 fires, where about fifty horses were wait- 
 ing and being shod, and to the infinite 
 disgust of the various regiments whose 
 horses were there, to the surprise of all 
 the smiths, and with some explanation to 
 their independent Western minds, that the 
 General's order must pass over all others, 
 I ' seized ' the fires, and set the men all 
 at hammering out my spikes. The iron I 
 had to find like the tools, in warehouse, 
 
102 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 cellar, barn, or store, or wherever it was 
 to be found. 
 
 " Thus, between forest, river, and town, 
 I had to be lively. After supper I went 
 down again, and saw them working by 
 moonlight and firelight. That was a pic- 
 ture ! A gleaming fire at the foot of the 
 dark, high, wooded bluff! The low, sandy 
 island, far off and indistinet in the moon- 
 light; the rushing river between, and this 
 wild, solitary scene, made more weird and 
 even more solitary by the busy groups of 
 excited, earnest men. The shouting of 
 voices, the clangor of blows, the creaking 
 of ropes, and rattling of chains, mingled 
 with the noise of the river, and occasion- 
 ally when the grotesque, wide-spreading 
 form of one of the huge trestles had been 
 successfully lowered into the swift black- 
 ness of the water, the long, loud shout of 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 108 
 
 triumph drowned all else. But you will 
 weary of all this detail, and I must get 
 sleep for to-morrow's work. 
 
 "H." 
 
 "Banks of the Osage, 
 " Oct. 19, 1861, late in the afternoon. 
 
 " Thank you for your pleasant letters of 
 encouragement, especially for that one 
 which points to the future crowTiing re- 
 sult, if God wills it so. And as events 
 seem to have pointed out the way, I w^ill 
 keep my eyes steadily fixed in that direc- 
 tion until the flag which floats ahove our 
 army glows in the " insufferable light." 
 
 " I put this letter of yours with Mr. 's, 
 
 which reflects the color of my mind. They 
 will keep my mind alive and vigilant and 
 true to the great end which I shall now 
 always see before me. 
 
104 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 " I was made happy by finding Mr. 
 
 and Mr. as I rode into camp to-day. 
 
 They were like home faces and trusty 
 friends, full of pleasure to see, after 
 the close contest with enemies which I 
 have been waging. I have arranged with 
 them to hurry up my supplies and trans- 
 portation the best they can, and I am sure 
 they will do all that under the circum- 
 stances is humanly possible, and with their 
 aid I shall be able to do what I wish. I 
 have from Captain Foote himself, and from 
 them, better hopes for his cooperation than 
 you were able to give in your letter of 
 Tuesday evening. Don't fear ; if this 
 thing is destined to be done, all will go 
 right with us here. I shall keep my com- 
 munications open, and will be able to give 
 you intelligence of my movements, and at 
 the same time, to hear from you, and keep 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 105 
 
 informed of the enemy's movements on the 
 Mississippi. I wrote to-day to General 
 Smith. The guns destined for Price will 
 never reach him, if I get my transportation 
 in time. General Prentiss I shall be glad 
 to see. I will send him directions when 
 I get a little farther along. Day by day I 
 will send you some little slip of what I 
 want done. I begin to feel stronger. It 
 pleases me to see how kindly disposed the 
 people are to me, and how much trust 
 they place in me, I did not know, until 
 I received your letters to-day, what was 
 the cause of the reinforcements being sent 
 to Ironton. Tell Captain McKeever that 
 his promptitude gives me pleasure. His 
 dispositions were excellent, and the effect 
 may reach farther than shows at first; 
 still, as soon as the regiments can be 
 spared and equipped with transportation, 
 
106 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 I want them hurried up in this direction, 
 for the reason that, in certain contingen- 
 cies, we should be beyond reach of rein- 
 forcements, and obhged to rely on our- 
 selves alone. 
 
 " Zagonyi got no action, but brought 
 back some useful spoils, — horses, wagons, 
 
 cattle, provisions, &c 
 
 J' J. C. F." 
 
 (zagonyi speaking.) 
 
 " On the 18th of October about fifty men, 
 personally with the General, crossed the 
 Osaffe to have a little observation of the 
 enemy on the other side. The General 
 found out, through talking with citizens, 
 that a body of men were starting to the 
 rebel army, about twenty-two miles from 
 Warsaw, on the Osceola road, south. He 
 at once ordered me to proceed in the night 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 107 
 
 to find out if they are there. We arrived 
 at eleven o'clock in the night, but was too 
 late ; they left three days before, but found 
 horses, mules, cattle, and about one hun- 
 dred and twenty bushels of wheat, which 
 we captured and handed over for General 
 Sigel's brigade use. We left camp about 
 four or five in the evening, arrived back 
 next day about eleven — forty-five miles — 
 without a bite of bread or meat, but a little 
 mush made by ourselves at one in the night 
 out of the captured corn flour ; we found 
 some salt and a little molasses, — not I, but 
 the others, did like and eat it. The horses 
 had everything. But we did not have a 
 blanket with us. It was so that we went 
 out only to see the country, but finding 
 on our way about these rebels so near, 
 we went after them without turning back 
 to make any preparation. The General 
 
108 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 sent for a company of Fremont Hussars 
 to accompany us ; he did not leave us until 
 they came up." 
 
 " Banks of Osage, 
 " Oct. 20, 1861—8 A. M. 
 
 " Mr. and Mr. are harnessinof 
 
 up for their return. I have had much 
 pleasure in their visits and the favorable 
 impressions they have in regard to our 
 present struggle. But the aspect I sup- 
 pose will change from day to day, depend- 
 ent upon what we may do in the field, 
 and this depends upon our supplies. The 
 army in Kentucky, and this one in the 
 field should, luithout loss of an lioui\ be 
 strongly and efficiently reinforced. In this 
 way the war can be terminated this winter ; 
 and it is treason to the country to put in 
 peril the great stake at issue for the pur- 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 109 
 
 pose of gratifying private vengeance against 
 an individual. Forward movements now, 
 and no more trifling with the war and with 
 the blood and treasure of the country. The 
 mercantile interest of the nation demands 
 peace, and it may be had by spring. 
 
 " Say to Colonel Koerner that I have not 
 a moment to write this morning. I will 
 write to him. Meantime, thank him very 
 warmly for his exertions in Illinois, and for 
 their prompt result; — two regiments make 
 a great acquisition just now. Ask him to 
 continue for the present to work upon this 
 project, and I will give him my ideas later. 
 Thank him, too, for his despatch to the 
 President respecting the pay of the officers. 
 What reason can there be for not paying 
 them except to discredit me ^ The Pres- 
 ident said he would confirm my appoint- 
 ments, and they were made accordingly; 
 
110 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 what then is the meaning of the order not 
 
 to pay them ? is here. I will write 
 
 you his intelligence if I have time. 
 
 " What I have just learned from 
 
 satisfies me that we can easily carry out 
 what I have told you above, and depend 
 on it if I am not interrupted, the victory 
 is ours, thoroughly and entirely. Send 
 me transportation, and I will go ahead 
 " like a house on fire." .... 
 
 " Send me forward all the regiments pos- 
 sible. Arm them with the Austrian mus- 
 ket as altered by Greenwood. We are 
 receiving them at the arsenal at the rate 
 of five hundred a day. In my judgment 
 the enemy is greatly disconcerted by the 
 taking of Paducah, and our movements 
 here and the lower country. New Madrid 
 and Memphis are open to us. Send the 
 transportation, and send the regiments. . . . 
 
 "J. C. F." 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. HI 
 
 " Warsaw, 
 
 "Oct. 22, 1861. 
 
 " . . Our army is sadly in want of trans- 
 portation. The Department has been so 
 crippled that the necessary wagons and 
 teams could not be furnished ; and now 
 we are on the verge of starvation — i. e., 
 living on beef and salt — while plenty of 
 commissary stores are at Tipton, fifty-five 
 miles from here. In order to get more 
 wagons, the baggage of the army is to be 
 reduced to the ultimate minimum. The 
 General sets the example, sending back 
 his mess-chest and trunk. We shall fol- 
 low his example, and leave behind our camp 
 beds, and all superfluous baggage. It's 
 precious little I have to spare ; but I think 
 I can bid a short farewell to clean linen, 
 and reduce my table-equipage to the beef- 
 pan and the salt-box. My dress-uniform 
 
112 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 must go, if I have to carry it under my 
 arm; for we are bound to have a trium- 
 phal entry and a Thanksgiving-Dinner at 
 Memphis, to be followed up by a Christmas 
 at New Orleans. Government must also 
 furnish transportation for my meerschaum. 
 It is coloring successfully. I shall make 
 my first charge with it between my teeth 
 — breathing fire and smoke. The whole 
 army has been rejoiced by the discovery 
 at this place of a large quantity of salt 
 and tobacco — especially the latter. One 
 plug has been issued to each man, to 
 supply the lack of things to eat ; and the 
 gallant host sends up but one voice : 
 " Give us the luxuries of life, and we'll 
 do without its necessaries." And the lux- 
 ury we most desire can be had without 
 money, but not without Price. 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 113 
 
 "Warsaw, Mo., 
 
 " Oct. 22, 1861. 
 
 " Ros and I have been for the last 
 
 three days very busy helping Captain Pike 
 with his bridofe. Ros beino- detailed to the 
 duty one day ahead of me, had charge of 
 the department of supplying lumber for the 
 north side of the bridge, and he put it 
 through well. The General sent me to 
 keep a general look-out, and see that 
 there was no hitch, that everything went 
 smoothly. 
 
 " Major Frank White is just in, having 
 made a detour from Georgetown, and with 
 his one hundred and eighty men surprised 
 and driven out the five hundred troops who 
 were holding Lexington for the rebels, re- 
 leased the prisoners, sent them down the 
 river, remained in possession twenty-four 
 hours and more, and escaping by night 
 
114 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 through the cordon which had surrounded 
 him, marched down to us in a little over 
 three days. He made a forced march of 
 sixty miles from Georgetown to Lexington 
 between sunset and sunrise, and thus sur- 
 prised the rebels. We are proud of our 
 messmate and with good reason, nest 
 ce pas ? He captured Jackson's Secession 
 State flag, which he has given to me. 
 To-morrow he is off and away to the 
 van. 
 
 " H." 
 
VIII. 
 
 OVER THE HILLS AND FAR AWAY. 
 
 " Headquarters Western Department, 
 » October 23. 
 " Camp on road three miles beyond Osage River. 
 
 " I MADE but a short camp yesterday 
 evening, having been delayed by the number- 
 less detentions which necessarily surround 
 myself. So many inexperienced officers, 
 coming to me for the merest trifles, frit- 
 ters away nmch of my time. Our bridge 
 will not be finished until noon to-day, and 
 Asboth's division will consequently be de- 
 layed in its advance; but it will probably 
 get across to-day, and meanwhile Sigel is 
 going ahead. Tell Captain Foote to push 
 on his preparations; it will not be long 
 before I send his orders to him 
 
 " To-day is bright and pleasant. When 
 
116 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 the army leaves this it will march vigor- 
 ously. We have already forced the enemy 
 clear of nearly all the State, and our move- 
 ment will effectually free the State of him 
 for the winter. It had heen his intention 
 to overrun all North Missouri to the Mis- 
 sissippi and go into Iowa. When I left 
 St. Louis a large detachment of his force 
 had already crossed the Missouri [vide 
 Sturgis's and Prentiss's despatches.) My 
 movement towards Georgetow^n drew him 
 immediately hack to the south side of the 
 river, and the forward movement of my 
 forces put him into a retreat which he is 
 still prosecuting. War consists not only 
 in battles, but in well-considered move- 
 ments w^hich bring the same results. We 
 have made many movements of this kind 
 for which no credit has ever been given. 
 
 "J. C. F." 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. Hy 
 
 " Camp White, near Lindley's Creek, 
 
 » October 24. 
 
 " I have just had the triumphant satisfac- 
 tion to read your note, enclosing" the de- 
 spatch from Col. Carlin. God and events 
 are favoring us in the great work. All 
 alono^ our line the " insufferahle lio^ht " be- 
 gins to shine. I am so sorry for him ; * 
 
 * Col. Baker, on his way from Oregon to the Senate, 
 made in San Francisco a farewell address. It Avas in 
 October, and he was urging the people to united action 
 in the coming Presidential election. Suddenly stopping 
 himself, he asked why he wasted time in urging to efforts 
 for a victory already won ; — that the true subject to 
 consider was the use to make of that victory ; — he gave 
 them a rapid resume of the results of the Southern policy 
 — its remorseless, unscrupulous manner of persecuting, 
 even to death, men who were its powerful and success- 
 ful opposers. Latest was his " murdered friend Broder- 
 ick " (as Mr. Broderick himself said, " Killed because I 
 opposed the extension of slavery and a corrupt adminis- 
 tration "). And then came one of those perfectly beauti- 
 tlful and artistic passages which gave Colonel Baker his 
 
118 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 — tlie way, after long" waiting, was just 
 opening. Make my warmest acknowledg- 
 ments to Captain McKeever, and tell him 
 to send them to Colonel Cariin and his com- 
 mand. I will write from next camp. 
 Washington now ought to be silent. We 
 were just starting. I sent the despatch 
 to the sharpshooters (Major Holman), and 
 their answering shout just now comes to 
 me. I send it also to Zagonyi (getting 
 ready to start on the road below me). 
 Major White made a bold and handsome 
 dash into Lexington. I will send his re- 
 port from next camp. We are six miles 
 north of Quincy ; Sigel ahead, Asboth 
 
 deserved fame as an orator — closing with a picture ot 
 Liberty hunted, imprisoned, bound to the stake, her very 
 ashes scattered to the winds. " I looked again, and I be- 
 held her, throned on high, her garments white and shin- 
 ing, and in her strong right hand the sword of Freedom, 
 red with ^insufferable lir/ht.'" 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. HQ 
 
 next behind. I have a good letter from 
 General McKinstry. He is pressing for- 
 ward ; his advance will be in Warsaw to- 
 day. Every way we are doing well. . . 
 
 «J. C. F." 
 
 "In the Field, near Humansville, 
 
 " October 25, 1861. 
 
 "... I came on this morning with 
 a few of the Guard, Holman's sharp- 
 shooters, and the Benton Cadets ; and, for 
 the time, my headquarters constitute the 
 extreme advance of the army. Gen. Si- 
 gel's cavalry advance has just passed, and 
 his division will be encamped to-night four 
 miles ahead of me. Gen. Asboth's division 
 is on the march, and will encamp to-night 
 seven miles in my rear, on an open prai- 
 rie country, around which a wooded creek 
 sweeps. This would afford room for an 
 
1£0 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 army of forty thousand to encamp, and 
 here perhaps the divisions which are be- 
 hind, — Hunter's, Pope's, and McKinstry's, 
 — will concentrate. General McKinstry is 
 doing his best to get forward, and so, I 
 suppose, are all now. 
 
 " I was encamped on a farm-ground, only 
 seven miles in the rear, last night, at a 
 very pretty place. From there I sent for- 
 ward Zagonyi with nearly all the Guards, 
 together with Major White's command, all 
 under the command of Zagonyi. They 
 left at night on an expedition, of which 
 I will send you results when I hear. 
 
 " Generally, I think we are doing well. 
 Our forward march here has been con- 
 ducted with all the rapidity possible, and 
 we have scoured the country broadly as 
 we advanced ; and, in my judgment, our 
 whole movement can be characterized as 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 121 
 
 very successful. Joined to the success at 
 Ironton, — Missouri, it seems to me, stands 
 out in vigorous relief. 
 
 " We are anxious to know how affairs 
 progress around the Potomac. The slip 
 you sent me announcing the death of Col- 
 onel Baker, had not the result of the en- 
 gagement at Poolesville 
 
 '• To-morrow we expect a mail through 
 from St. Louis 
 
 " In reply to Koerner's telegram to the 
 President, ahout the pay of officers ap- 
 pointed by me, I notice that the Assistant 
 Secretary of War calls these appoint- 
 ments ' these irregularities^ and says they 
 will be corrected at the earliest moment. 
 They were not irregularities, as we know. 
 They were authorized by the President, 
 and, therefore, strictly regular. But he 
 may rest assured that the time for cor- 
 
122 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 rectlon will certainly come. But I don't 
 think much of them now, and they have 
 
 lost the power to sting 
 
 " Charley is well ; he is all right now.* 
 He messes with me, and sleeps in my am- 
 bulance (the chariot and four), and, with 
 a buffalo robe and two blankets, has the 
 most comfortable kind of quarters. 
 
 "J. C. F." 
 
 * He had been kicked by a horse. Charley was my 
 oldest boy, — only ten years old ; but he quoted " Casa- 
 bianca" as a precedent, and carried his point of going 
 with his father. Major Zagonyi had been good enough 
 to let him drill with the Guard, and although, of course, 
 only an " honorary member," he wore the uniform and 
 did some of the duties of a sergeant. When the Secre- 
 tary of War reviewed the troops at Syracuse, Charley 
 went through the review with great credit to his training. 
 It was no small test to go successfully through a real re- 
 view as part of several thousand cavalry. 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 123 
 
 " In the Field near Humansville, 
 " October 25, — 7^ p. m. 
 
 " I shall have news of a httle action to 
 give you by next express. I sent for- 
 ward Zag-onyi to strike a blow yesterday 
 evening. I just receiv^ed a despatch from 
 him, informing me that the enemy has 
 been reenforced at the particular point 
 very considerably ; still, he goes on, and 
 asks for reenforcements to be sent. He 
 was but eight miles from the enemy when 
 he wrote to me, at half-past eleven this 
 morning ; it is now eight (evening). He 
 went right on, and, I am afraid, will be 
 rash. I sent immediately forward eight 
 hundred cavalry and a section of artillery. 
 By next express I will inform you. 
 
 "J. C. F." 
 
1S4 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 (ZAGONYI SPEAKING.) 
 
 " Just as we arrived in the camp, Yost's 
 Station, October S4, I heard from some 
 scouts that there were three or four hun- 
 dred rebels in Springfield. I at once 
 reported myself at the General's tent, 
 and asked for permission to go for- 
 ward. The General did not want to grant 
 it directly ; he promised me that after an- 
 other day's march will let me. He con- 
 sidered it too far to go from that place. 
 I retired, but in half an hour reported my- 
 self again, begging for permission, trying 
 to make the General believe that if he 
 don't let me go they will run away from 
 our approach ; remarking, with respect, 
 that if he don't let me go, next morning 
 he won't find me in the camp — that I 
 will run away in the night. At last he 
 gave his permission, if I take some addi- 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 125 
 
 tlonal help. I told that plenty, enough, my 
 own command ; but obeyed the orders, that 
 it shall not be countermanded. We started 
 at about nine o'clock in the evening. Before 
 starting, I intended to leave one officer in 
 command with the remaining of my com- 
 mand. It was a difficult work to select one. 
 Trusting in one's quiet nature, Lieut. Ken- 
 nedy, I gave him the orders to remain 
 behind in command. With tears in his 
 eyes begged me not to leave him be- 
 hind ; he would consider that I did not 
 put trust in him to go into the battle if 
 I did not let him go along. But in the 
 same time obeyed the orders. Half an 
 hour later reported myself to the General 
 before starting, and asked his permission 
 not to leave my officer behind — none of 
 them is willing to remain. The General 
 gave his hearty consent, and congratulated 
 
126 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 my officers and men that they are so will- 
 ing to see the enemy. 
 
 '• It was done quietly, so that the enemy 
 should not hear of it ; hut the men were 
 very much rejoiced that the long prom- 
 ised time came. 
 
 " It was a cold night ; they shivered, 
 poor fellows, and it was a little bit of 
 rain on us durinof the nio^ht — there was 
 not an overcoat in the Guard ; but we 
 made twenty-five miles from nine till five, 
 A. M. From five till half-past six we 
 took a little rest, havino- a little cold 
 meat in our haversack. For seven daj^s 
 we had had nothing but meat, without 
 salt ; but still knowing we could do no 
 better, there was no complaint. IMy scout 
 found me a secession house, where we had 
 plenty of sheaf-oats and hay." (I sug- 
 gested they also could have had something 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 1^7 
 
 to eat — " Was no tinie in a small family 
 to bake bread " — what there was they 
 did get, but it was of no value.) 
 
 " Started from there, and arrived at half- 
 past eleven — eight miles from Spring- 
 field — seventeen miles. Here we found 
 out tliat the enemy is eighteen or nine- 
 teen hundred strong. From this place I 
 wrote despatch to General Fremont and 
 General Sio^el." 
 
 (Among other " asides," I preserved the 
 following, as exemplifying his inability to 
 see what constituted " rashness.") 
 
 " They call it a ' rash act.' How is it 
 possible to say it so "? From half-past eleven 
 till half-past four we knew we were to meet 
 nineteen hundred men (but in reality twen- 
 ty-two hundred), was time enough to recon- 
 sider and cool down every rashness. Blood 
 cools in five hours. It is so. Very nat- 
 urally it could not be ' rashness.' " 
 
128 the story of the guard, 
 (copy from original in pencil.) 
 
 "12 o'clock, A. M., 8 miles from 
 
 Springfield, October 25, 186L 
 
 " General : — 
 
 ^' The information on which I can rely is, 
 that Vednesday evening fifteen hundred 
 men came in Springfield, — and that at 
 present there is not less than eighteen or 
 nineteen hundred men. — I march forward 
 and will try what I can do — in the same 
 time I would he thankful if some reinforce- 
 ment could come after me. Should I be 
 successful I need them to hold the place, 
 should I be defeated to have some troops 
 to fall back with my w^orn-out command. 
 " I will report shortly again. 
 
 " With high respect, 
 
 " Ciis. Zagonyi, 
 " Major Comm. Body Guard. 
 " To Maj.-Gen. J. C. Fremont, 
 
 "Comm. West, DepC 
 
the stoky of the guakd. 12q 
 (copy.) 
 
 "Headquarters Western Department, 
 
 " October 25, — 7| p. m. 
 
 " Your despatch is received. I send to 
 you Colonel Carr with strong force of cav- 
 alry and some artillery. I will send more 
 if you need it. Let me know immedi- 
 ately. 
 
 (Signed) " J. C. Fremont, 
 
 " Maj.'Gen. Com, 
 " To Maj. Zagonyi, 
 " Commanding Expedition to Springfield,"" 
 
 (copy.) 
 
 " Headquarters of the 3d Div. D. of the W. 
 " Camp 10 miles from Bolivar, Oct. 25, 1861. 
 
 " To Major Zagonyi, near Springfield : — 
 " If there are eighteen hundred or nine- 
 teen hundred men at Springfield with the 
 intention to resist you, I advise you not 
 
130 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 to make an attack against the town, but 
 to watch the enemy and attack him when 
 he leaves the town, which he will do, as 
 soon as we approach Springfield. 
 
 " I do not believe that the company or 
 two of cavalry now under my command 
 will be of great use to you, as they are 
 not well prepared and have no sabres, but 
 I will advance them nevertheless as soon 
 as possible, to join you and to give you 
 assistance in case you should be repulsed. 
 
 " The most necessary thing and your ob- 
 ject should be, to send good and reliable 
 information to us and to attack the enemy 
 only in case you find him in a condition 
 or in a position where you can with great 
 probability defeat him instead of being 
 defeated. 
 
 " Two hundred men like yours can do 
 wonders ; but to attack a town with cav- 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 131 
 
 airy only, when the enemy is prepared to 
 receive them, is always a very critical 
 thing. 
 
 " I send to General Fremont and will 
 wait for his orders. 
 
 " Yours Respectfully, 
 (Signed) " F. Sigel, 
 
 " Act. Major-Gen'l com'd'g 3d Div. 
 " N B. — The troops under my command 
 cannot be in the neighborhood of Spring- 
 field before two days, except the cavalry, 
 which can move quicker. Send me news 
 as quickly as possible." 
 
 (copy.) 
 
 " By Telegraph from Rolla, 
 " 29th, 1861. 
 
 " To Captain McKeever : — 
 
 " Ambulances just arrived from Spring- 
 
IS2 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 field. Left Thursday night. Colonel Taylor 
 with all his force left Springfield Friday, 
 18th inst. Colonel Frazier with one thou- 
 sand men came into Springfield Friday the 
 2oth. He is after three hundred sacks 
 of salt taken from McClurg. Is pushing 
 everything and ready to leave any moment. 
 
 Reports Price at (telegraph hlunder 
 
 over name) Newton County ; reports all 
 rebels leaving for Arkansas ; also reports 
 Generals Fremont and Sigel at Bolivar. 
 
 " This despatch gives the rebel force un- 
 der Colonel Taylor and Colonel Frazier. 
 
 "G. W. Dodge, 
 " Col. Comm'd'g Post at Rolla." 
 
IX. 
 
 springfield. 
 
 (Zagonyi.) 
 
 " After a brief stay we marched very 
 slowly to give time to my scout to bring 
 me the best information from Springfield, 
 which he did about one o'clock that the 
 rebels hardly will face me, but will run. 
 To meet them sure I left the Bolivar road, 
 crossed over to the Osceola road, and from 
 there to the Mount Vernon. In case 
 they should retreat, to be before them. 
 (Major White's command with me all this 
 time. I left the big road at two and one- 
 half hours. He should have been at most 
 at twelve hours with me.*) 
 
 * Some misunderstanding of orders separated the 
 
134< THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 "About four o'clock I arrived on the high- 
 est point on the Ozark mountains. Not see- 
 ing any sign of the enemy, I halted my com- 
 mand, made them known that the enemy 
 instead of four hundred is nineteen hundred. 
 But I promised them victory if they will be 
 what I thought and expected them to be. 
 If any of them too much fatigued from 
 the fifty-six miles, or sick, or unwell, to 
 step forward ; but nobody was worn out. 
 (Instead of worn out, it is true that every 
 eye was a fist big.) I made them known 
 that this day I want to fight the first and 
 the last hard battle, so that if they meet 
 us again they shall know with who they 
 have to do and remember the Body-Guard. 
 And ordered quick march. 
 
 commands before the Charge, — although, unknown to 
 the Guard, the Prairie Scouts did brave and efficient 
 fighting on a distant part of the field. 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 135 
 
 " Besides, I tell them whatever we meet, 
 to keep together and look after me ; would 
 I fall, not to give up, but to avenge mine 
 death. To leave every ceremonious cuts 
 away in the battle-field and use only right 
 cut and thrust. Being young, I thought 
 they might be confused in the different cuts, 
 and the Hungarian hussars say, " Never 
 defend yourselves, — better make your en- 
 emy defend himself and you go in." I 
 just mention them that you know very 
 well that I promised you that I will lead 
 you shortly to show that we are not a 
 fancy and only guard-doing-duty soldiers, 
 but fighting men." 
 
 " My despatch meant what I will do. In 
 the hour I get the news my mind was set- 
 tled. I say. Thank God, if I am to fight, 
 
136 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 it is not four hundred ! but nineteen hun- 
 dred ! 
 
 " I halt my men again and say, Soldiers ! 
 When I was to recruit you, I told you you 
 was not parade soldiers, but for war. The 
 enemy is more than we. The enemy is 
 two thousand and we are but one hundred 
 and fifty. It is possible no man will 
 come back. No man will go that thinks 
 the enemy too many. He can ride back. 
 (I see by the glimpsing of their eye they 
 was mad to be chanced a coward.) 
 
 " The Guard that follow me will take for 
 battle-cry, ' Fremont and the Union and 
 
 CHARGE ! ' 
 
 ' O the wild charge they made ! ' 
 
 " Running do\vn the lane between the 
 cross-fire, the first company followed close 
 (Newhall's), but the rest stopped for a 
 couple seconds. I had not wondered if 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 13^ 
 
 none had come, — young soldiers and such 
 a tremendous fire, bullets coming like a rain. 
 " As I arrived down on the creek I said 
 aloud, ' If I could send somebody back I 
 would give my life for it. We are lost 
 here if they don't follow.' My Adjutant, 
 Majthenyi, hearing, feared that he will be 
 sent back, jumped down from his horse 
 and busy himself opening the fence." 
 
 " I expected to find the enemy on the 
 other end of Springfield, but, unexpect- 
 edly coming out of the woods to an 
 open place, I was fired on in front of 
 mine command. Halted for a minute, 
 seeing that, or a bold forward march 
 under a cross-fire, or a doubtful retreat 
 with losing most of my men, I took 
 the first, and commanded ' March ! * 
 
138 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 Under a heavy cross-fire, (in trot) down 
 the little hill in the lane, — two hun- 
 dred yards, — to a creek, where I or- 
 dered the fence to be opened — marched 
 in my command, — ordered them to form, 
 and with the war-cry of ' Fremont and 
 the Union,' we made the attack. The 
 First Company (Newhall's), forty-seven 
 strono", aofainst five or six hundred in- 
 fantry, and the rest against the cavalry, 
 was made so successfully, that, in three 
 minutes, the cavalry run in every direc- 
 tion, and the infantry retreated in the 
 thick wood, and their cavalry in every 
 direction. The infantry we were not 
 able to follow in the woods, so that 
 w^e turned against the running cavalry. 
 With those we had in different places, 
 and in differing numbers, attacked and 
 dispersed, — not only in one place, but 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. l^Q 
 
 our men was so much emboldened, that 
 twenty or thirty attacked twenty, thirty 
 times their numbers, and these single- 
 handed attacks, fighting here and there 
 on their own hook, did us more harm 
 than their grand first attack. By them 
 we lost our prisoners. Single-handed 
 they fought bravely, specially one, — a 
 heutenant, — who, in a narrow lane, wanted 
 to cut himself through about sixty of us, 
 running in that direction. But he was 
 not able to go very far. Firing two or 
 three times, he ran against me, and put 
 his revolver on my side, but, through the 
 movement of the horse, the shot passed 
 behind me. He was a perfect target — 
 first cut down, and after shot. He was 
 a brave man; for that reason I felt some 
 pity to kill him. 
 
 " Young men was the guard — but re- 
 
140 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 markable and extraordinary it was they 
 gone so nice through. 
 
 " In this way tlie town was cleared. 
 We went to their encampment, but the 
 ground was deserted, and we returned 
 to the Court-house, raised the company- 
 flag on the Court-house, hberated prison- 
 ers, and collected my forces together, — 
 which numbered not more, including my- 
 self, than seventy men on horseback. 
 The rest, — without horses, or wounded, 
 and about thirty who had dispersed in 
 pursuit of the enemy, — I could not 
 gather up ; and it was midnight before 
 they reached me, — and some of them 
 next day. 
 
 " I . never was sick in my life, Ma- 
 dame, till what time I find myself leav- 
 ing Springfield, in the dark, with only 
 sixty-nine men and officers, — I was 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 14,1 
 
 the seventy. I was perfectly sick and 
 disheartened, so I could hardly sit in 
 the saddle, to think of so dear a vic- 
 tory. 
 
 "But it ended so that fifteen is dead, 
 — two died after — ten prisoners, who 
 was released, and of the wounded, not 
 one will lose a finger. In all seventeen 
 lost." 
 
 " One hundred and fifty started on the 
 lane dovyn. Thirty-nine or forty was dis- 
 abled and thrown down — mostly horses 
 hurt — and in the real attack was not 
 more than one hundred and ten, — the 
 highest number." 
 
 " Half the battle is won, if you go into 
 the fight with spirit and noise, and, mostly, 
 
142 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 the enemy is disheartened by it. Very 
 natural, going against them in fast trot, 
 and with loud noise, they was not able 
 to keep in order. They was not perfect 
 soldiers, and their horses took fright, (I 
 knew they would). Our horses was worn 
 out, and, as general thing, our making 
 noise did not frighten them, and our 
 horses was more trained than theirs. 
 
 "After this we had to retire, — leave the 
 town in the hands of those who was with- 
 out any horses. I was perfectly sure that 
 the enemy never will return, but, as a 
 soldier, I could not risk any possibility of 
 their return. 
 
 " My men and horses was so much 
 worn out, they had not been able to take 
 care of themselves, and less of a town. 
 They were worn out, — hardly could speak, 
 — hardly could sit in the saddle, from 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 143 
 
 tiredness ; arms worn from keeping- the 
 horses from excitement back, and the 
 other hand from the use of the sword 
 was worn out that hardly could hold up. 
 Faces blackened from powder and dust ; 
 hungered out from five o'clock in the 
 morning till this time, — six in the even- 
 ing, — not knowing when we will have 
 any more of anything, made them per- 
 fectly useless." 
 
 " As we dashed through the streets, the 
 women came out from their houses to the 
 gates of their gardens; waved their hand- 
 kerchiefs, and brought out flags, and did 
 not frighten them at all, — ^the shooting 
 and fighting. Captain Foley exchanged 
 words with them, — inquired if there were 
 any rebels ] Answered and told where, 
 
144^ THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 perfectly coolly, — was not afraid at all. 
 Next (lay they took the greatest pains to 
 attend the sick and the wounded, — hring- 
 ing them every delicacy, and attending to 
 their comfort. As we left Springfield, was 
 already dark, that we could not see ten 
 steps ahead. 
 
 " The bugler (Frenchman) I ordered him 
 two three time to put his sword away and 
 take the bugle in his hand, that I shall 
 be able to use him. Hardly I took my 
 eyes down, next minute I seen him, sword 
 in the hand, all bloody ; and this he done 
 two or three times. Finally, the mouth 
 of the bugle being shot away, the bugler 
 had excuse for gratifying himself in use 
 of the sword. 
 
 " One had a beautiful wound through the 
 nose. My boy, I told him, I would give 
 anything for that wound. After twenty- 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 145 
 
 four hours it was beautiful — just the 
 mark enough to show a bullet has passed 
 through ; but, poor fellow, he cannot even 
 show it. It healed up so as to leave no 
 mark at all. He had also five on his leg 
 and shoulder, and the fifth wound he only 
 found, after six days ; he could not move 
 easy, for that reason, he was late to find 
 there was two wounds in the legs. In the 
 attack, every one is worth to be mentioned. 
 I make up my mind to name no names, 
 when all was deserving mention. 
 
 " Lieut. Kennedy [the " quiet-natured " 
 officer] was wounded twice, — in the arm 
 and in the side. The surgeons said he 
 would lose it ; but he has not. 
 
 " More than sixty horses were ' bul- 
 letted ; ' seventeen carrying bullets were 
 brought back to St. Louis." 
 
 10 
 
I4f6 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 Every one who followed the infantry 
 into the wood was killed ; hut from an- 
 other wooded place, several of the wound- 
 ed were recovered. Corporal Dean, who 
 was wounded severely in going- down the 
 lane, was thrown where he could see his 
 riderless horse charge with the Guard. 
 Presently the horse returned, snuffing the 
 air, and neighing. He called it hy name, 
 when it came running to him ; but, com- 
 ing on the other side of the fence, after 
 many ineffectual attempts to get to its 
 master, it again made off to the rest. 
 
 I think Wisa was the one whose life 
 may be said to have been saved by 
 the little terrier. This dog had joined 
 the Guard on one of their excursions in 
 the outskirts of St. Louis, coming back 
 to camp with them, and keeping with 
 them, not only there and all the time on 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. l^y 
 
 the march, but charging with the Guard, 
 and keeping up in the heat of the fray. 
 As the day closed, he found himself by 
 this wounded man, and, nestling to him, 
 remained by him all night — sallying out 
 of the wood at dawn, and, by his barking 
 and actions, inducing a man whom he met 
 to follow him to where Wisa lay, stiff and 
 exhausted, with pain, and cold, and hunger. 
 " Corporal " was the name of this little 
 fellow, and, as the Knight's dog lies at 
 his feet on the old tombs, a terrier 
 coiichant should bring up this story and 
 be its " Finis." 
 
 " Headquarters in the Field, 
 
 " Western Department, 
 
 " Oct. 26, 18G1. 
 
 " I am really delighted this morning with 
 Zagonyi's brilliant action, and half at least 
 
148 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 of my delight is in the pleasure it will 
 give to you. I send Captain Howard 
 with the despatches to Captain MeKeever, 
 that he may forward them officially to 
 Washington. 
 
 " As I have already informed you, hav- 
 inof learned on the 24<th that three or 
 four hundred of the enemy, with a large 
 train, from Lebanon, were in Springfield, 
 from which we were then forty-eight miles 
 distant, I sent forward Major Zagonyi 
 with one hundred and fifty of my Guards, 
 and ^lajor White with one hundred and 
 eighty of his cavalry, the whole under 
 Major Zagonyi, and with directions to dis- 
 perse the enemy, take or destroy the train, 
 and foil back upon our main body. I 
 also ordered forward, in support, the cav- 
 alry from Wymau's command, then ad- 
 vancing by way of Cross Plains to Bol- 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. I4.9 
 
 ivar. Yesterday evening- at half-past six 
 I received the first despatch from Zagonyi 
 informing- me that the enemy had been 
 reenforced by fifteen hundred men, but that 
 he sliould go forward and attack, and ask- 
 ing that reenforcements should be sent to 
 him. In half an hour it was on its way 
 to him, and at nine o'clock left Sigel's 
 camp, which is six miles in advance of us. 
 The reeiiforcement was eight hundred cav- 
 alry and one section of artillery. This 
 
 morning, before day, Mr. was in 
 
 my tent with your letters, and while he 
 was giving me his news, one of Zagonyi's 
 men arrived with his despatch, giving the 
 account of his brilHant victory. I had all 
 along promised this fine body of young 
 men that I would give them an early 
 opportunity for distinction. They have 
 profited by it well. Zagonyi, on starting 
 
150 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 from camp, had left one of his officers 
 in charge of the few of the guards neces- 
 sarily left at camp. He came to me and 
 told me that this officer was literally cry- 
 ing at being left, and requested permission 
 for him to go. Of course he went. Za- 
 gonyi gives no details, but I am afraid, 
 from what I can learn, that I have lost 
 fifteen of them, I will send you details. 
 His messenger met the reenforcement about 
 three miles beyond Bolivar. Zagonyi was 
 falling back upon it. I am moving for- 
 ward, and to-night the advance of the 
 army will be in Springfield. 
 
 " Just at this moment I hear the shout- 
 ing of the men who were drawn up to 
 hear Zagonyi's despatch read. 
 
 " I enclose a little note to the President. 
 Send it or not as you think fit. If you 
 send it, mark it ' Private ' on the outside. 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 151 
 
 " This was really a Balaklava charge. 
 The Guards numbered only one hundred 
 and fifty. You notice that Zagonyi says 
 he has seen charges, but never such a 
 one. Their war-cry, he says, sounded 
 like thunder. This action is a noble ex- 
 ample to the army. 
 
 " If you send it, take especial care that 
 the letter to the President certainly reaches 
 him. 
 
 " I will now read my letters, of which 
 I have a large package. I just glanced 
 over your note to get its good, bright 
 color, and answer by next mail, knowing 
 that this is going to give you great pleas- 
 ure and confidence. , . . 
 
 "J. C. F." 
 
 It will be remembered that the Presi- 
 dent took no active part in military matters 
 
lo2 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 at that time, and the allied forces who dic- 
 tated on Western affairs took care that no 
 star for merit should find its way west- 
 ward. 
 
 They manage these things better in 
 France. No French soldier felt his knap- 
 sack too empty when it carried the possi- 
 ble baton of a marshal. It had happened — 
 why not to him too'? — tliat the Emperor, 
 passing as some heroic act was performed, 
 detached his own cross of the Legion of 
 Honor, and himself fastened it on the sol- 
 dier's breast — or he had said Mon brave, 
 je te nomme Serjeant ou Capitaine, or 
 whatever their mind suggested as nearly 
 fabulous. But all were sure that their 
 names never died out ; — at roll-call the 
 living answered, for those who could speak 
 no more, " Died on the field of honor." 
 Courage and devotion could not go unre- 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 153 
 
 warded among them. Xor does Napier, 
 in his ehiborate History of the Peninsular 
 War, disdain to pause and record the ex- 
 ample of the nameless private, who at the 
 siege of Badajoz, actually ran head-fore- 
 most upon and into the palisade of sabres 
 erected by the French. 
 
 Suppose General Jackson had been the 
 General to whom this request for Zagonyi's 
 promotion was referred. Our frontier In- 
 dians (who see a good deal of garrisons, 
 and have a certain grim humor) have their 
 own name for such oflicers as have not seen 
 service. '* Peace Captains " they call them. 
 Being a frontiersman, " a civilian you 
 know — no military educiition whatever, 
 nor any of that sort of thing." General 
 Jackson might have made an Indian's dis- 
 tinction in the case, and given rewards to 
 the young heroes " red with the soldiers* 
 
154" THE STORY OF TPIE GUARD. 
 
 true baptism of the battle-field," rather 
 than to the correctly prepared Peace Cap- 
 tains. 
 
 " In the Field, Bolivar, 
 " Oct. 27, 18G1. 
 
 " As I told you I intended, our advance 
 was in Springfield last night and our flag 
 flying there. Our troops were moving all 
 night long on the road between this and 
 Springfield, where I shall stop to-night. 
 
 " By Mr. , who goes back to-day, 
 
 I send you the secession flag captured by 
 the Guards in the action at Springfield. 
 I rode ahead last night to a house where 
 was Zagonyi with some of our wounded, 
 two of whom were officers. So far as I 
 know at this moment, our loss in killed 
 was fifteen, but I shall know better at the 
 close of the day. The secession loss was 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 155 
 
 severe. I will give you details to-morrow. 
 The action lasted an hour and three quar- 
 ters after the first charge. The secession- 
 ists formed in line in their camp, and the 
 Guards took down a fence under their fire 
 hefore they could charge, — this, after the 
 beginning in which the Guards received 
 their fire, from which forty of our horses 
 fell. One of our non-commissioned ofii- 
 cers had three horses shot under him, 
 others several. We are obliged to leave 
 sixty of their horses, more or less wound- 
 ed. The action was continued through 
 the town, which was cleared street by 
 street, the Secessionists firing also from 
 houses, fences, and other protection. Many 
 of the men have lost their caps, and had 
 their clothes torn to pieces, — as Zagonyi 
 says, ' not any more fit to appear as 
 Body-Guard.' 
 
156 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 " Let me remind you that two of my 
 Guard, accidentally wounded when Mr. 
 Cameron was at Tipton, are at St. Louis. 
 Will you have them looked up] Either 
 already at St. Louis, or somewhere be- 
 tween Tipton and St. Louis. Please 
 have them cared for." 
 
X. 
 
 AT SPRINGFIELD. 
 
 " Springfield, Oct. 27, 1862. 
 
 " All last night and to-day the troops 
 were lining the road on their march from 
 Bolivar to this place. I arrived this af- 
 ternoon, and have here the Third Divis- 
 ion, under General Sigel, together with 
 Colonel Marshall's regiment and Major 
 Holman with his sharpshooters. The 
 Guards of course. All these are active 
 officers and good troops. General Sigel 
 with a part of his division has formed the 
 advance of the army, and on this march 
 has again proved himself a good and 
 skilful officer. 
 
 " General Ashoth with his division will 
 be up to-morrow night. General Pope is 
 
158 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 next on the road, and General McKinstry 
 will probably come in the next. We made 
 fine marching. Yesterday Marshall's regi- 
 ment of infantry made a hard march, and 
 to-day they marched from Bolivar to 
 Springfield, thirty miles, getting into their 
 camp before dark. General Sigel with 
 his whole division marched twenty miles. 
 You will have many details of the good 
 fight which the Guards made here, and 
 every detail will go to show you what a 
 brave charge it was. Three different regi- 
 ments constituted the force here, under the 
 command of Frazer and other colonels. 
 I am pained that our loss has been so se- 
 vere. As soon as I reached the town I 
 rode to the hospital where I found four- 
 teen of my brave Guards lying in their 
 uniforms, side by side, in narrow, rough, 
 plank coffins. One was brought in and 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 159 
 
 laid by them while I was in the room; he 
 was quite young, a Kentucky boy, who had 
 been, I think, a clerk in the company. 
 He had been taken prisoner, and was 
 brought in, — wretchedly beaten to death 
 with muskets, apparently, — from about 
 seven miles out. Another died in a room 
 above while I was in the hospital. With 
 two exceptions our wounded will proba- 
 bly all recover. Charley recognized some 
 of his particular friends among the killed, 
 and cried and sobbed when he was telling 
 me about it just now. On the other side 
 eighty-three were killed, according to what 
 can be learned here, and the wounded we 
 cannot well know. Our officers apparently 
 were singled out in the scattering fight 
 through the town. Every one of them, 
 officers and non-commissioned officers, lost 
 from one to three horses during the fight. 
 
160 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 Many horses had been burled before I got 
 here, but twenty dead still remained on 
 the field, and as I told you, we left sixty 
 wounded twenty-five miles back. We 
 have a good number of prisoners, some of 
 them wounded, and some of their wound- 
 ed are in and about the town. 
 
 " I wish Captain McKeever to send me 
 up immediately all the rest of the Guards 
 who are at St. Louis, with direction to 
 follow me to my camp. Ask him to arm 
 them thoroughly with sabres and revolv- 
 ers ; — to have them otherwise thoroughly 
 equipped and expedited through to me. 
 
 " I send you the names of killed and 
 
 wounded. Major White, who had been 
 
 captured before the engagement, escaped 
 
 and recaptured, and again escaped, is here 
 
 with me only slightly hurt. So write to 
 
 his mother." 
 
 "J. C. F." 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 161 
 
 « Springfield, Oct. 28, 1861. 
 " A beautiful, cool, bright morning. The 
 funeral of our Guards will take place to- 
 day at one o'clock. You remember that 
 I told you in the charge some forty horses 
 fell, and the greater part of their riders 
 necessarily were obliged to escape into the 
 woods, being separated from the command 
 and unable to get hold of other horses, as 
 some did. I am afraid that a number of 
 them will have been butchered by the 
 enemy who hung around the town until 
 the reinforcements got up, which was yes- 
 terday at daybreak. I therefore may have 
 a greater loss to tell you of, but hope not, 
 — we don't know yet. Meantime, our 
 men are greatly exasperated by condition 
 of the boy brought in as I told you in 
 my letter of yesterday, and by the hanging 
 
 of a Union man and boy yesterday not 
 11 
 
16£ THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 far off, by the secession troops. There- 
 fore the parties which I have thrown for- 
 ward over the neighboring country will 
 do rough work if they come upon any of 
 the enemy. Many scenes will interest 
 you in the fight. The war will have noth- 
 ing more splendid to record. Send me 
 up a flag for the Guard when the re- 
 mainder of them come up, and have 
 them come quick. And they may hurry 
 up the transportation now, for if it was 
 intended in this way to keep us from 
 moving, the plan has failed, and we hold 
 to-day the key of the State. The Legis- 
 lature intended to meet here. First at 
 Neosho, and then here. Part of them 
 were here a few days ago, but we rather 
 hurried up their travelling. After a little 
 I shall be able to tell you what plans I 
 may form. I am getting a little uneasy 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 168 
 
 about Paducah; but General Smith is so 
 good an officer, and the place so strong", 
 that I think I may trust it, with what 
 will be done by other forces. The time 
 for the funeral has come, and I close to 
 let Express go at once. 
 
 "J. C. F." 
 
 " Springfield, Oct. 29, 1862. 
 " I have nothing special this morning to 
 tell you, — that is, nothing special done 
 yesterday, and whatever it is that is to 
 be done, it is never safe to trust to a let- 
 ter. I attended the funeral of my Guards 
 yesterday; they were buried with mili- 
 tary honors. The Union people begin to 
 raise their heads since our arrival, and a 
 procession of Union women walked by the 
 side of the cortege to the grave. I saw 
 
164 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 big tears falling from the eyes of the men 
 who surrounded the graves. I have not 
 time to write you the incidents ; — you 
 must read what the reporters say. . . . 
 
 " I must not forget to say that a portion 
 of the men unhorsed in the charge and 
 left behind, held the town continuously 
 until the reinforcements arrived. The 
 fence rails are in many places riddled with 
 balls where the action took place, and 
 within the wood where our people charged 
 upon the infantry, I saw yesterday four 
 horses of the Guard lying dead within ten 
 steps of each other, in one group. A little 
 dog, (terrier,) " the -Corporal," belonging 
 to the Guards, charged with them, and re- 
 mained on the field until twelve at night, 
 sitting by the side of one of the wounded 
 Guards, who was not brought in until that 
 time. Another one of the Guards was 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 165 
 
 brought in last evening from a distance of 
 eight miles, — a prisoner and murdered, 
 like the one I told you of in my letter of 
 yesterday 
 
 " The loss of the Guards, so far as ascer- 
 tained,* is fifty-two in killed, wounded, and 
 missing — one third of the whole number. 
 I sent out strong reconnoitring parties 
 yesterday. At night some prisoners were 
 brought in : a Lieutenant-Colonel Price 
 and fourteen others. It is thought that 
 among the force routed here was a regi- 
 ment from Arkansas. The weather con- 
 tinues fine 
 
 " I notice in one of the Journals that it 
 was upon a Report by Adjutant- General 
 Thomas of his examination into the ad- 
 ministration of my department that the 
 
 * The real loss was reduced to seventeen, by ex- 
 change of prisoners and recovery of wounded. 
 
166 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 Cabinet met in council. A bitterly hos- 
 tile and . . . . Adjutant-General to ride 
 through my department and pronounce 
 upon my conduct, without producing any 
 authority from the President, who only 
 was competent to order such an injurious 
 proceeding, and without any intimation to 
 me of such a purpose ! Let them go 
 
 on 
 
 "J. C. F." 
 
XL 
 
 THE DEAD. 
 
 " The land is full of farewells to the dying, 
 And mournings for the dead." 
 
 Major Corwine told me that when the 
 Kentucky Company was leaving Cincin- 
 nati, the train was surrounded by their 
 friends, — " more pretty girls than I ever 
 saw together before — crying, but looking 
 brave, and willing for them to go." 
 
 For these same dear ones other women 
 shed tears, — women who, daring to look, 
 first saw them as they charged through 
 the streets of their home, and gave their 
 answering prayers to the wild battle- 
 cry for the Union ; — these women fol- 
 lowed, grateful and weeping, those who had 
 
168 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 brought back to them the protecting flag; 
 — but now 
 
 " Red hand in the foray- 
 How sound is thy slumber ! '* 
 
 I have been told of one of these much- 
 tried women, who painfully and with the 
 aid of crutches, followed in this funeral, 
 that her husband and son had both been 
 killed, and herself wounded, by a guerilla 
 party. Robbed also during Price's occu- 
 pation of Springfield, she was quite de- 
 pendent on a son-in-law. In the fighting 
 through the streets he was accidentally 
 killed. And yet this woman could and 
 did do honor by her presence to those 
 who had deprived her of her last support. 
 And this was the kind of people from 
 whom all protection was withdrawn ! 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 169 
 
 " CUMMINSVILLE, NoV. 2, 1861. 
 
 "Dear Sir, — 
 
 " I received your letter of October 30, 
 and thank you kindly for its favor. Your 
 dispatch in the ' Gazette ' of this morning 
 moved us to tears, as did also the list of 
 killed and wounded in the ' Enquirer,' 
 copied from the ' St. Louis Republican.' 
 William Vanway, one of our neighbors, 
 is among the dead. He was one of a 
 very fine family. His father died about 
 a year ago, and news has just arrived of 
 the death of his brother, in Western Vir- 
 ginia, in the Guthrie Gray Regiment, and 
 right upon that is the death of William 
 at Springfield. The mother is overwhelmed 
 
 at her loss 
 
 "Very truly your friend, 
 
 " J. F. Lakeman. 
 
 " To Major R. M. Corwine, 
 
 " A. D. C. and Judge Advocate." 
 
1^0 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 When some great grief leaves one blinded 
 and dizzy, with no power to comprehend 
 the uprooted life or accept its new condi- 
 tions, — then through the helpless, fevered 
 mind come floating consoling words of 
 Scripture, — verses that seemed so far off 
 but a little while ago are now stamped 
 vividly and forever in new meaning on our 
 changed lives. 
 
 " Who ne'er his bread in sorrow ate, 
 
 Who ne'er throughout the midnight hours 
 Weeping, upon his bed has sate, — 
 
 He knows ye not, ye Heavenly Powers." 
 
 As in those pictures where the fewer prin- 
 cipal figures are relieved against a ground- 
 work of shadowy faces filled with unutter- 
 able woe, so back of our armies in the field 
 I see that noble army of martyred women 
 who "dwell in the shadow of the moun- 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. I'p'l 
 
 tain." Theirs is the "dull, deep anguish 
 of patience," — they are being trained to 
 endure. For them the most we can do 
 is so sadly little ; but " the end shall 
 tell." 
 
 "To weary hearts, to mourning homes, 
 God's meekest angel gently comes; 
 No power has he to banish pain, 
 Or give us back our lost again ; 
 And yet, in tenderest love, our dear 
 And Heavenly Father sends him here. 
 
 *' There's quiet in that angel's glance, 
 There's rest in his still countenance; 
 He mocks no grief with idle cheer, 
 Nor wounds with words the mourner's ear; 
 But ills and woes he may not cure 
 He kindly trains us to endure. 
 
TJ2 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 " Angel of Patience ! sent to calm 
 Our feverish brow with cooling palm, — 
 To lay the storms of hope and fear, 
 And reconcile life's smile and tear; 
 And throbs of wounded pride to still. 
 And make our own our Father's will ! 
 
 " Oh thou, who mournest on thv way ! 
 With longings for the close of day, 
 He walks with thee, that angel kind, 
 And gently whispers, ' Be resigned, — 
 Bear up, bear on, the end shall tell, 
 That God has ordered all things well.*" 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUAED. l^g 
 
 "DEAD ON THE FIELD OF HONOR.' 
 
 Those •who were killed in action at Springfield, Mis- 
 souri, on the 25th October, 1861, were — 
 Co. A. 
 Corporal D. F. Chamberlain, St. Louis, Mo. 
 Corporal Julius Baker, St. Louis, Mo. 
 
 Wagoner F. C. Frantz, St. Louis, Mo. 
 
 Private George Dutro, St. Louis, Mo. 
 
 Private Herman Fry, St. Louis, Mo. 
 
 Private Louis Osburg, St. Louis, Mo. 
 
 Co. B. 
 
 Corporal Francis Schneider, St. Louis, IMo. 
 
 Private Dennis Morat, St. Louis, Mo. 
 
 Private J. Nellmann, St. Louis, Mo. 
 
 Private Mitchell Rose, St. Louis, Mo. 
 
 Private G. M. Schrack, St. Louis, Mo. 
 
 Private William Wright, St. Louis, Mo. 
 
 Co. C. 
 
 Corporal John Morrison, Indiana. 
 
 Corporal William Yanway, Cincinnati, Ohio. 
 
 Private E. Davis, Hamilton Co., Ohio. 
 
 Private Alexander C. Linfoot, Covington, Kv. 
 
xn. 
 
 THE BEGINNING OF THE END. 
 
 St. Paul asks, " Who goeth a warfare 
 at any time of his own cost? or who 
 planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the 
 fruit thereof ? " 
 
 « Springfield, October 30, 1861. 
 " I received your note of Thursday night 
 yesterday morning. A little postscript, 
 added on Friday morning, tells me that the 
 reports concerning my removal and Gen- 
 eral McClellan's victory were not confirmed. 
 I assure you I am getting pretty well 
 tired of being badgered in this way. I 
 ought to have all my energies here em- 
 ployed against the enemy, and all the aid 
 from Washington, moral and physical, that 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 1^5 
 
 the government can give. In daily expec- 
 tation of being removed, my subordinate 
 officers encouraged in disobedience by the 
 
 conduct of 5 and the rigid 
 
 rule which should govern an army moving 
 in face of the enemy disregarded by supe- 
 rior officers, it becomes nearly impossible 
 for me to calculate upon the execution of 
 any plan. I cannot and I do not rely 
 upon the success of any combination I may 
 make, because I am not able to rely upon 
 the execution of the orders I send back. 
 In fact, I do not now venture to make 
 any combinations. Our success to this 
 point is due to taking just what force I 
 could gather around me and moving right 
 along, regardless of the rest, and trusting 
 to our own ability to provide resources 
 for all contingencies. But I am getting 
 tired of this business. You can see, and 
 
176 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 it is plain to be seen, that in this way the 
 success of the war and the interests of the 
 country are put at great hazard. As I 
 said to you, in the means taken to break 
 
 me down, are certainly 
 
 betraying the interests of the country. 
 Now was the time, the accepted time, for 
 making great progress in the war, but 
 the days of the Republic are being num- 
 bered while the power of the government 
 sleeps. So I am getting tired of all this, 
 and you must not be surprised, if this 
 goes on, to find me throwing up the reins. 
 But I will be governed by the events of 
 the next few days. 
 
 " General Asboth arrived with his divi- 
 sion yesterday. Hunter is reported coming 
 up next behind him, ( 
 
 •.••;••.• ^ 
 
 Pope next, and McKinstry said to be in the 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. IJJ 
 
 rear. Notwithstanding some hard marches 
 that I have given them, and scarcity of the 
 usual food, the troops are in the hest pos- 
 sible disposition. The Zagonyi charge has 
 given tone to the army, and vve see it 
 already working. I have the satisfaction 
 to tell you that my Delawares came in 
 yesterday afternoon, — Fall-Leaf, who has 
 been with me before, and fifty of his good 
 men. They are encamped here close by 
 me. 
 
 " All reports so far fix the enemy at 
 Neosho up to Monday afternoon. To-day I 
 shall probably have positive information in 
 regard to them. I am in communication 
 with General Price, concerning exchange of 
 prisoners and some other points. The weath- 
 er is fine to-day. Lieut. Heppner arrived, 
 and I take him with me this morning, to se- 
 lect ground for General Hunter. I expect to 
 
 12 
 
lyS THE STORY OF THE GUARD, 
 
 see Howard to-morrow night, and I think he 
 probably will bring me some definite intel- 
 ligence regarding Washington. You must 
 not think me discouraged when I say I 
 am tired of this; but I am impatient. I 
 feel outraged at their continued indignities, 
 and I am always asking myself, Cui bono ? 
 Why do I endure it] They are sapping 
 my character ; why not at once protest 
 against them % So don't think me dis- 
 couraged. I feel well, strong, and ready 
 for any emergency, and, above all, I feel 
 the most unqualified contempt for ... . 
 And how does the nation endure it \ Con- 
 tending for great principles, — a vital war, 
 — how can the people stand quietly by, 
 and see their blood and treasure so thrown 
 away % Squandered by demagogues in per- 
 sonal cabals, when the true objects of the 
 war, taken together, are probably the 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 1^9 
 
 grandest for which a nation ever con- 
 tended in arms, — its own national exist- 
 ence, and the fate of one of the quarters 
 of the world ! But there is no use, now 
 and here, to talk of this. 
 
 " Didn't we do a good thing in striking 
 so far and so deadly a blow, and throw- 
 ing the head of our column so suddenly 
 into the key of the South'? It took them 
 all by surprise, — friends and enemies. In 
 their retreat through the country, the ene- 
 my reported that they were attacked by 
 2500 men 
 
 " I send special messenger for the Guards. 
 Hurry Up Constable's Battery, if it is in 
 any way possible to get him; and a thou- 
 sand of the Austrian altered muskets would 
 be most acceptable, if we could have them 
 sent at once. All, of course, if I am to 
 remain here. 
 
180 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 " It may show you the willingness of the 
 German troops to do their duty, to say 
 that General Asboth's division had nothing 
 but meat for four days, and the General 
 reports that they have nothing else to-day. 
 Still they have done their duty well and 
 cheerfully, although their health must suf- 
 fer 
 
 " J. C. F." 
 
 " Headquarters Western Department, 
 "Springfield, Oct. 30, 1861. 
 <c 
 
 " Ere this, I doubt not, Adlatus Jack 
 will have reached you, with his public 
 budget of ' glorious news,' and his private 
 package of items of personal, adventure 
 and experience. Nevertheless, I wi'ite you 
 a few lines by the morning express ; for 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 181 
 
 I doubt much whether the Captain's pri- 
 vate package will find time to be opened, 
 and I know that by the time this reaches 
 you, he will be again at his post, and a 
 word from his brother-in-arms will not be 
 unacceptable. 
 
 " At the same time, you must excuse the 
 unfamiliar look of this handwriting. Dr. 
 Tellkampf has just performed a slight 
 surgical operation on my right hand, and I 
 am obliged, on account of bandages, &c., 
 to hold my pen in an entirely new man- 
 ner. I always felt, intuitively, that that 
 man would draw my blood at the first 
 decent opportunity, with malignant satis- 
 faction. However, I will not scoff at 
 him, since he has saved me from a ' fel- 
 on's doom.' 
 
 " We are in Springfield, and occupying 
 the old headquarters of General Lyon. 
 
182 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 Sigel has his own former quarters. As- 
 both is encamped about half a mile from 
 us. The other divisions have not yet ar- 
 rived. 
 
 • ••••• 
 
 " Let me turn to some pleasanter subject, 
 — say the dust. Oh, plagues of Egypt ! 
 will you oblige me by paling your ineflfec- 
 tual fires'? The Dust is conqueror here. 
 I have seen my own proud chieftain bow 
 before it, his glory obscured and hidden 
 in its cloudy folds. Ralph and his wisp 
 broom are as Mrs. Partington and her 
 mop before it. Our tents are pitched in 
 a yard, close on the street ; and, as a 
 consequence, the street comes often into 
 camp. We see one another darkly ; we 
 feel gradually the great truth that we are 
 but dust ; we bite the dust in our humility. 
 There is but one antidote which is here 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 183 
 
 in sufficient quantity, — Contrabands. With 
 five darkeys, one can keep clean just five 
 minutes ; but the operation of being brush- 
 ed is wearisome after the first half hour. 
 But, seriously, it is a very interesting 
 sight the number of slaves who have 
 fled to us from secession masters. One 
 man now in my employ was waiting in the 
 woods two months ' fur dis yer crowd 
 to come,' — as he irreverently spoke of 
 our army. He had been handcuffed and 
 whipped, and ran away. His master was 
 formerly good to him, but had treated 
 him harshly since the loss of Springfield. 
 One other I have, — a clear-eyed, bright 
 quadroon boy. He and his brother are in 
 camp, and I hope mine will turn out so 
 well suited to me that I can take him 
 back to the North when we return. 
 Every one on the staff is getting rapidly 
 
184 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 supplied with his necessary article. The 
 camp swarms with contrabands of various 
 hues. The two brothers of whom I 
 spoke are so white that I could not be- 
 lieve them slaves. The abolitionists per 
 se in our midst — Colonel Lovejoy and 
 others — find their hands full. Sable 
 visitors come to the gallant Colonel at all 
 hours, and are not turned away. 
 
 " Wamba appears to command my pres- 
 ence in the ' pavilion,' (where there is just 
 room for two.) He winks as usual, and 
 calls me Mr. Hayball. If 1 undertook to 
 set him right, he would wink himself into 
 an apoplexy over the sudden idea, — so I 
 let it rest. . . 
 
 " As for your humble servant, he has 
 been busy enough since the departure of 
 Captain Howard ; and hopes he has not 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 185 
 
 utterly failed in his attempt to supply the 
 deficiency made by that Adlatus' absence. 
 In addition to various other charges and 
 duties, I am accidentally the chosen vic- 
 tim of the Delaware Indians, to the num- 
 ber of fifty-two, who bring their troubles 
 and desires to me. Fall-Leaf commands, 
 and Johnny-cake interprets them. Be- 
 hold the bound which no Adlatus shall 
 dare to pass, — the end, I mean, of the 
 first four pages. This may be the last 
 letter the 'Heutenant' writes you. I feel 
 sure we shall see the enemy erelong, — 
 and the enemy has promised me a cap- 
 tain's straps. R." 
 
 For the week following the twenty-fifth 
 October, Springfield saw good days. The 
 long subjection to the rebels was over. 
 
186 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 and the Unionists were exultant. For the 
 first time, since early in August, they 
 were in communication with the rest of 
 the country. Daily mails now ran to St. 
 Louis ; an officer in uniform could travel 
 alone by stage the whole distance, — a 
 thing impossible when we reached St. 
 Louis, even between the arsenal and head- 
 quarters. The General had made an 
 agreement with General Price, by which 
 hostilities were to be confined to the reg- 
 ular armies in the field, and guerrilla par- 
 ties of both sides suppressed ; rebels were 
 offered protection on laying down their 
 arms, and observing all the laws ; and 
 irresponsible arrests by any Federal sol- 
 dier or official, for differences of opinion, 
 were also prohibited. General Price had 
 with him some ten or fourteen thousand 
 IMissourians, who did not wish to cross 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 187 
 
 into Arkansas, and if they could secure 
 protection, they were more than willing 
 to lay down their arms, and live in peace. 
 To keep them so would have been our 
 affair afterward ; but it was an army dis- 
 persed, and a victory gained without blood- 
 shed, to carry out this agreement. 
 
 This agreement, so unmistakably for the 
 best interests of Missouri, was annulled im- 
 mediately upon the removal of General Fre- 
 mont, when the order to reverse the engine 
 went into effect. But, while the negotia- 
 tions were going on, the General only 
 waited for the delayed divisions to give 
 battle. 
 
 "Headquarters Western Dept., 
 " Springfield, Nov. 1, 1861. 
 
 "But first let me say how well I found 
 the General, — looking splendidly, in cap- 
 
188 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 ital spirits, very glad to get news from 
 home, very much pleased with the photo- 
 graphs, and ' entirely satisfied ' with the 
 ' very good time ' in which my little task 
 had been completed. Do not think that 
 I impute my own lively emotions to the 
 General, who is generally reserved in ex- 
 pression of his feelings. All of the above 
 statements, except the splendid appearance, 
 are from his own lips. He is only a lit- 
 tle annoyed that the other divisions have 
 been so slow in coming up, as he wishes to 
 strike while he has the opportunity of a 
 standing, not a retreating foe. But they 
 are expected along to-day or to-morrow. 
 
 " I arrived in Springfield on Thursday 
 morning, at ten o'clock, — three days and 
 two hours after leaving you in St. Louis, 
 — and should have been here the day be- 
 fore, had I not been obliged to bring one 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. IgQ 
 
 horse all the way through (and a borrowed 
 one at that), and so was exercised in my 
 mind lest he should be disabled, and fail 
 me on the way ; but he brought me 
 through beautifully. 
 
 " I can tell you, the change from camp 
 to St. Louis and to the road again, was 
 something rather dazzling — or, perhaps, 
 dazing — in its effects ; and although I 
 enjoyed my brief visit extremely, I feel 
 that it must have been unsatisfactory to 
 you, from the many things which I 
 now remember I had to tell you. How- 
 ever, I console myself that it was only 
 the gossip which was left out, — the news 
 I gave. Just twenty-four hours after I 
 was sitting in the 'luxurious dining-room 
 of the Oriental palace ' with you all to 
 talk to, and a nice supper before me, 
 I lay on the ground under a tree, talk- 
 
190 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 ing with a rough orderly, and munching 
 a piece of hard bread and a bit of cold 
 meat. 
 
 " They ran, taking White with them. 
 About twelve miles distant they, his 
 guard, stopped at the house of a Union 
 man, who, when he learned that White 
 was a prisoner, went out and collected 
 about seventeen Home Guards. Frank, 
 hearing them outside, slipped out, and 
 heading them, captured his captors^ and 
 brought them back to Springfield. Here 
 he found Zagonyi's dead and wounded, 
 and his two flags flying, but only a 
 few members of the Body Guard, and 
 some of his own men, amounting in 
 all to twenty-six. With these men he 
 held the town, placing out pickets all 
 around, leaving a reserve of his sick 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. IQl 
 
 self and one lieutenant, for twenty-four 
 hours, till Sigel entered. He so acted 
 as to make the enemy suppose Sigel 
 already there ; received a flag of truce 
 from them, gave them permission to bury 
 their dead and take their wounded, and 
 carried the whole thing through with a 
 bold face. H." 
 
 " Springfield, Nov. 1, 1861, 
 « 10 A. M. 
 
 " The rebel Legislature passed a seces- 
 sion ordinance at Neosho and adjourned 
 to Cassville. Three days since, their en- 
 tire army came out of their lines at 
 Neosho and directed their course east- 
 ward and southwardly, moving across 
 our front and threatening us by advanc- 
 ed corps pushed forward on the road to 
 Mount Vernon, and on the road from 
 
192 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 Cassville to this place. The entire strength 
 of Price's army is reported at 38,000. 
 As I advised you might he the case, I 
 am disposed to think that Pillow or 
 Hardee's force may be moving across the 
 country to join them. But I shall soon 
 know, and it makes very little dif- 
 ference to me whether they have ten or 
 fifteen thousand more or less when I 
 get my little army concentrated. Has- 
 sendeubel's regiment will join us this 
 morning. Lane and Sturgis will be in 
 with their forces by noon. Pope will 
 probably be in with his division by 
 nightfall, and McKinstry with his to- 
 morrow. I had been misinformed about 
 General Hunter. He had been re- 
 ported as being near Quincy, but his 
 own report, which I received two days 
 since, left him at Mount View, about 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 103 
 
 fifteen miles this side of Warsaw. He 
 had sent back a supply train for pro- 
 visions, and was intending to wait for 
 it. Yesterday at 2 a. m. I sent him a 
 despatch, directing him to come forward. 
 The force is rapidly getting into excel- 
 lent condition, and I really think can 
 whip the enemy two to one. I shall 
 move with all the skill that I can 
 bring to the work, and at the same 
 time with as much rapidity as is con- 
 sistent with it. Your letter by Captain 
 Howard, was very pleasant to me. I 
 am very glad to see that our move- 
 ments have given so much satisfaction 
 
 to our friends 
 
 " Meantime, whatever force remains be- 
 hind, hurry in. I received yesterday the 
 despatch, which I enclose to Captain Mc- 
 Keever, from Governor Randall. I direct 
 
 13 
 
194* THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 him to order the regiment immediately 
 to St. Louis, thence to Rolla to replace 
 Colonel Gessler's regiment, which I desire 
 to come here to me in the field direct, 
 the very moment it can leave Rolla. I 
 am pleased to see that Constable's Bat- 
 tery has left. We want all the sabres that 
 can come, and revolvers, and also all 
 the altered Austrian muskets that can 
 be spared. Hurry up the Guards, and 
 have the requisition for their clothing 
 filled. I think it is going to snow — 
 
 it looks and feels like it 
 
 "J. C. F." 
 
 " Springfield, Nov. 2, 
 
 " 9^, A. M. 
 
 " I now look to see the supply trains 
 come up. In my judgment, it is abso- 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. IQ5 
 
 lately certain that if we could have had 
 them so as to have brought up the 
 other divisions to this place concurrently 
 with myself, we should have before this 
 routed Price and captured his baggage- 
 trains. I trust in you to do all that 
 can be done. It would have been a 
 good thing, if Major Allen had gone to 
 Tipton to push the supplies forward. 
 Make thanks to our friends Captain 
 Foote and Major Corwine, and partic- 
 ularly to Colonel Fiala. Tell him I ap- 
 preciate fully his fidelity and ability, and 
 would have been glad, had I been able, 
 to carry out all his able suggestions in 
 regard to St. Louis and the Mississippi 
 line. . . . 
 
 " The enemy's movements are still a 
 little uncertain ; — scouts, spies, and other 
 information reported last night his ad- 
 
196 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 vance a little nearer, but to-day will 
 g-ive us more positive information. Their 
 intention is reported to occupy Wilson's 
 Creek, and have a battle on the same 
 ground as the other in August last. I 
 don't believe it, and think they would 
 have rather a merry time in carrying 
 out their point. I am just sending out 
 a strong reconnoitring party to make a 
 military map of the old battle-ground 
 and vicinity of Wilson's Creek. Hassen- 
 deubel's regiment, and Generals Sturgis 
 and Lane got in with their forces yes- 
 terday. McKinstry with his division will 
 be in to-day. Pope ought to reach here 
 to-day or to-morrow. We are all right 
 
 here 
 
 " Meantime, have Capt. McKeever send 
 off the Fitz H. Warren Regiment to 
 me — all of it if possible — and Colonel 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. IQ^ 
 
 Crafts Wright's regiment. Tell him, if 
 it be not already done, to order it off 
 instantly and peremptorily; if the order 
 be not instantly obeyed, to place the 
 Colonel in arrest by my order, and every 
 other officer, if necessary. Hurry up the 
 Guards. I suppose, if I am to remain 
 in command, it will be settled by the 
 time you receive this, definitely one way 
 
 or the other 
 
 " Captain just read me a letter, 
 
 through a reliable source, which gives 
 the contents of a despatch from Washing- 
 ton, dated October 28. Despatch says : 
 ' General Scott retires from the command 
 of the army on account of his infirm- 
 ities. Orders from the Commander-in- 
 Chief have been sent by the President to 
 General Curtis at St. Louis, to be deliv- 
 ered to General Fremont, unless he is in 
 
198 THE STORY OF THE GUARD 
 
 front of the enemy, or pursues him to 
 give him battle. The orders direct Gen- 
 eral Fremont to surrender his command 
 to the next officer, General Hunter.' It 
 is quite time that all this should cease. . 
 
 " Nov. 2d, 10|. — I have just received 
 the order relieving me of my command, 
 directing me to turn it over to General 
 Hunter. Get quietly ready for immediate 
 departure from St. Louis. I shall leave 
 
 this place forthwith for St. Louis 
 
 "J. C. F." 
 
XIII. 
 
 THEIR RETURN. 
 
 "Return Road, near Bolivar, 
 " Tuesday, Nov. 5, 1861. 
 
 " So far on our return road, all is good 
 health, good spirits, and satisfied mind. . . 
 
 " It seems to me simply a laid-out piece 
 of work, in which I have been doing my 
 part. 
 
 " I received General Scott's order to turn 
 over the department to Hunter, on the 
 2d, and the same day I had printed 
 and published the brief General Order, 
 .transferring my command to him, and 
 the enclosed address to the army. 
 
 " I send Raymond forward to make 
 
200 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 the railroad arrangements, and advise you 
 of us. We propose to embark on the 
 cars on Thursday night, and reach St, 
 Louis early on Friday; — the Sharpshoot- 
 ers, Body Guard, and a few of the Staff, 
 t02"ether with all our horses. Further 
 advices by telegraph. Day is breaking, 
 and we must be on the road. Good- 
 
 by — plenty of love to and , 
 
 and regards to all friends. 
 
 " The order reached me when I was 
 in face of the enemy and manoiuvring 
 with him, he being nine to twelve miles 
 distant. Hunter came in the night, after 
 the order of march and battle had been 
 written, and six the next morning the 
 hour appointed for the march against the 
 enemy. All right. I think now there 
 will be no battle. 
 
 "J. C. F." 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 201 
 
 The General was to have been at home 
 by nine in the morning; but the manage- 
 ment of the trains being in other hands, 
 they were delayed until nearly that hour 
 in the evening. But patient crowds had 
 kept their watch through the long day, 
 and by night it was a sea of heads in all 
 the open spaces around our house. The 
 door-posts were garlanded, and the very 
 steps covered with flowers, — touching and 
 graceful offerings from the Germans. 
 China-asters and dahlias, with late roses 
 and regular bosquets of geraniums, beau- 
 tified the entrance and perfumed the air; 
 and when the General did make his way 
 at last through the magnificent assemblage, 
 it was to be met by the wives and chil- 
 dren of the German officers he had left 
 at Springfield. Unknown to me, they 
 had come to speak their hearts to him, 
 
202 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 but they had more tears than words. 
 Touched to the heart already, the Gen- 
 eral was not prepared for the arrival 
 of citizens — American as well as German 
 — who came to thank him for past services, 
 and ask to stand by him in the hour of 
 disgrace. Meantime, the unceasing cheers 
 and shouts of the vast crowd without 
 sounded like the tide after a high wind. 
 I could not stand it ; I went far up to 
 the top of the house, and, in the cold 
 night air, tried to still the contending 
 emotions, when I saw a sight that added 
 to the throbbing of my heart. Far down 
 the wide avenue the serried crowd was 
 parting, its dark, restless masses glowing in 
 the lurid, wavering torchlight, looking liter- 
 ally like waves; — and, passing through 
 them, came horsemen stamped with the splen- 
 did signet of battle, their wounded horses 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. OQS 
 
 and bullet-torn uniforms bringing cries of 
 love and thanks from those for whom they 
 had been battling. When they halted be- 
 fore the door, and the sudden ring and 
 flash of their drawn sabres added new 
 beauty to the picture, I think only the 
 heart of a Haman could have failed to 
 respond to the truth and beauty of the 
 whole scene. Were not these men for the 
 king to delight to honor 1 Who could 
 have foreseen what was the official recog- 
 nition already preparing for them '? 
 
 Before getting the General's request for 
 a flag for them, I had already had one 
 made, and they came in the morning to 
 receive it. By day their war-worn ap- 
 pearance was still more touching. As I 
 looked, how I wished ' that I micrht utter 
 
{204* THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 the thoug-hts that arose in me ; ' but I could 
 only ask Major Zagonyi to say for me how 
 I felt the honor they had brought on our 
 name, and that they would find I did not 
 forget them. After he had carried them 
 the flag, and said something, which we 
 were too far off to hear, they returned to 
 their camp (for the Guard was never in 
 quarters, and lived in open camp even 
 in St. LouisJ. 
 
 I give the following note as Zagonyi 
 sent it to me : — 
 
 " I thank you, Madame, sincerely, in 
 the name of my officers and men, for the 
 mark of your regard in giving us this 
 beautiful flag. Was a profound regret to 
 them and to me that we return from the 
 field with so short a glimpse of the rebel 
 army. 
 
 " As we followed our leader past the 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 205 
 
 outside pickets around Springfield, our 
 band performed their gayest music ; but 
 to me was like a funeral dirge. And it 
 was a funeral — there were buried the 
 fruits of three months' labor of the Gen- 
 eral, — the aspiration of thousands of am- 
 bitious men who followed his standard, — ■ 
 and gone, too, the hope of patriots that 
 was ended the war in Missouri. 
 
 " But I believe in the resurrection. I 
 believe not always will be denied truth 
 and justice to General Fremont; will come 
 the time — and soon — when the cam- 
 paign in Missouri will be known as is in 
 reality, well planned, well done, and how 
 cruel and unjust it was ended. 
 
 "But is not for me to praise or criti- 
 cize his action. My command did serve 
 him when to them he could promise an 
 honorable and active career ; they will not 
 
206 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 fail from his side now that every sound of 
 battle is banished from their ear forever." 
 
 I wish I could pass over in silence 
 the treatment to which the Guard was 
 now subjected ; but I cannot undo facts. 
 Only those who have experienced the in- 
 finite littlenesses of garrison tyranny can 
 realize in how many ways they were har- 
 assed, and finally deprived of absolute 
 necessaries. 
 
 After refusing them pay, rations, or 
 forage, it was said they were to be put 
 on duty as the Guard to . . . This was 
 the drop too much, and explains the fol- 
 lowing despatch : — 
 
the story of the guard. ^qf] 
 
 (copy of telegram.) 
 
 " St. Louis, Missouri, 
 "November 11, 1861. 
 "Maj.-Gen. Geo. B. McClellan, 
 
 " Commanding-in-Chief, 
 
 " Washington, D. C, — 
 
 " I would regard it as an act of per- 
 sonal courtesy and kindness to me, if you 
 will order my Body-Guard to remain with 
 me, subject to no orders in this depart- 
 ment but my own. It is composed of ed- 
 ucated and intelligent young men, to whom 
 the country and I owe more than the usual 
 consideration accorded to the rank and file 
 of the army. 
 
 (Signed) "J. C. Fremont, 
 
208 the story of the guard, 
 (copy.) 
 
 "By Telegraph, 11 p. m. 
 "Head-quarters of the Army, 
 "Washington, Nov. 11, 1861. 
 " Major-General J. C. Fremont, — 
 
 " Before receiving your despatch, I had 
 given instructions that the cavalry corps, 
 known as your Body-Guard, should be 
 otherwise disposed of. Official information 
 had reached this city that members of that 
 body had at Springfield expressed senti- 
 ments rendering their continuance in the 
 service of doubtful expediency. With ev- 
 ery desire to gratify your wishes, I do not 
 see exactly how I can violate every rule 
 of military propriety. Please reply. 
 
 "Geo. B. McClellan, 
 
 " ComAn-CJiiefr 
 
the story of the guard. £09 
 (telegram.) 
 
 " St. Louis, Nov. 12. 
 " Major-General Geo. B. McClellan, 
 
 " Commander-in-Chief U. S. Army, — 
 
 " I aai not informed of any expression 
 of sentiment at Springfield by the cavalry 
 known as my Body-Guard, which should 
 create a doubt as to the expediency of their 
 being retained in the service of the coun- 
 try; w^hile on the contrary the service ren- 
 dered by the gallantry of their conduct on 
 the 25th October at Springfield justly en- 
 titles them to the favorable consideration 
 of the government. In view of this fact, 
 I request the Commanding General to re- 
 consider the case, if any severe measure 
 has been directed against them. 
 
 "J. C. FrI:mont, 
 " Major- General U, S, A^ 
 
 This being unanswerable, remained un- 
 answered. 
 
 14 
 
£10 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 Meantime the Guard had the additional 
 pain of parting from the horses which had 
 shared their hardships and triumphs ; had 
 to turn into the quartermaster's department 
 the animals they had trained and whose 
 wounds they had tended so carefully to 
 make them again fit for service. General 
 Sturgis was sent to muster them out, and 
 whilst waiting for him, Zagonyi had them 
 photographed as they stood in front of the 
 rough plank-roofed shed which formed their 
 quarters. A keen wind is blowing ; the 
 band have overcoats, but the Guard are 
 still without ; some are mounted, for the 
 last time ; more than half are on foot. 
 General Sturgis, after reviewing them, de- 
 clared he could not bring himself to think 
 of losing such soldiers, and refused to mus- 
 ter them out, asking Zagonyi to wait a 
 little until he could carry out a plan for 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUAKD. £11 
 
 them. His note shows the flimsiness of 
 the pretext for disbanding them. 
 
 " St. Louis, Mo., Nov. 27, 1861. 
 
 " Major : — 
 
 " I am directed by the Major -General 
 Commanding to muster the Body -Guard 
 out of service; but at the same time he 
 authorizes me to say to you that if you 
 will raise a regiment (cavalry), retaining 
 such officers of the Body-Guard as you 
 may think proper, it will be accepted into 
 the United States service. 
 " I am. Major, 
 
 *'Very Respectfully, 
 " Your ob^d't serv't, 
 " S. D. Sturgis, 
 '^ Brigadier- General U, S, Vols. 
 
 " To Major Zagoxyi, 
 
 " Commanding Body-Guard, 
 " St. Louis, Mo." 
 
212 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 Major Zagonyi declined the idea for him- 
 self, but submitted the note to the Guard. 
 General Sturgis's generous efforts were 
 too late. The Guard had borne as much 
 as is right for men to bear, and they 
 refused unanimously to accept any other 
 organization than the one originally en- 
 tered on. 
 
 From the time of the General's turnins" 
 over the records, he directed the guard- 
 mounting before the house to be discontin- 
 ued. But although after some repetitions 
 the order was obeyed, yet each night I 
 heard the old sound of the Guard on 
 duty inside the house, and they would 
 not discontinue it. The day we left for 
 New York, as we came down the steps, 
 I saw at once that the Guard was in place 
 at the gate, and they flashed their salute 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. ^13 
 
 as the General passed. The countenance 
 of one caught my attention, and after we 
 were in the carriage hoth of us noticed 
 that in returning his sabre he struck it 
 honae with his open pahn as though ex- 
 pressing an intention not again to draw 
 it. As he looked up, he saw that we 
 were noticing him ; and, coming down to 
 the side of the carriage, without a word 
 spoken, he drew off the heavy gauntlet 
 and laid his open hand within the Gen- 
 eral's with such a blended look of dumb 
 rage and regret and fidelity as was won- 
 derful to see. And this was the end. On 
 reaching New York we found this despatch, 
 dated "St. Louis, Nov. £8th," (Thanks- 
 giving day!) 
 
214. 
 
 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 "To Major-General Fremont, 
 " Astor House : — 
 
 "The Body-Guard was to-day mustered 
 out of service. Chas. Zagonyi, 
 
 ''Major Comd'gr 
 
 " But tlie large grief that these enfold 
 Is given in outline — and no more." 
 
 ■^^m 
 
XIV. 
 
 PAYING GENERAL FREMONT'S IMEN. 
 (Extract from the Dally Journals.) 
 
 " A bill has been prepared directing the 
 Secretary of War to pay off all officers 
 and men whose services were accepted 
 and actually employed by Major-General 
 Fremont, or by the Commanding -Gen- 
 eral of Missouri, whether they were regu- 
 larly mustered into service or not. It also 
 provides that the wounded and disabled of 
 such shall draw bounty and pensions, and 
 the heirs of the killed draw pay and 
 bounty as in other cases. This bill full?/ 
 provides for the Fremont Bochj- Guards and 
 relieves the cjovernment of the charge of 
 injustice y 
 
216 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 " New York, 
 
 "Dec. 17, 1861. 
 " Hon. Charles B. Sedgwick, 
 
 "Washington City, — 
 
 " 1 have read to-day of tlie bill for the 
 payment of officers appointed by '* Major- 
 General Fremont, or by the Commanding- 
 General of Missouri." I think the bill 
 ought not to pass in its present form. 
 To meet the many irregular appointments 
 in that department, and in the merest 
 ordinary justice to the officers who served 
 their country thoroughly and well, such a 
 bill ought to be passed, but with some 
 modifications. Other officers in the West- 
 ern Department made appointments under 
 pressure of the same necessity that forced 
 me to do so. I was sent to the Western 
 Department with unrestricted authority, 
 which comprehended the power to appoint, 
 
TlIE STORY OF THE GUARD. QIJ 
 
 but I judged it safer to make the appli- 
 cation which gave me that autliority, di- 
 rect, ample, and explicit, from the Secre- 
 tary at War and the President. The bill 
 ouofht to recoofnize the fact that the ir- 
 regularity — if there was any which could 
 render these appointments less legal than 
 any others made by the government — 
 is justly chargeable upon government, and 
 not upon myself acting under its direction. 
 
 " As it now stands the bill carries the 
 idea that the interposition of Congress is 
 required to prevent my officers from suf- 
 fering by my unauthorized acts. Suffer- 
 ing, they undoubtedly are. 
 
 " This bill claims further to do away with 
 any injustice to the Body-Guard by paying 
 them. Their pay is their right, not a 
 favor. They were regularly enlisted with 
 the usual forms. They rendered good 
 
£18 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 and valuable service from the day of their 
 enlistment. They performed one of the 
 most gallant acts ever recorded in this or 
 any other war. My letter on their behalf 
 was not replied to. On the contrary, on 
 their return to St. Louis — just after their 
 victory — they were treated with marked 
 disrespect by the government officials ; re- 
 fused forage for their horses, rations for 
 themselves, pay or clothing. Instead of 
 commendation for merit they were met by 
 an order directing them to be disbanded, 
 and ' not to be retained in the service of 
 the country, for certain sentiments alleged 
 to have been expressed by them at Spring- 
 field.' This is the injustice of which the 
 Guard and their friends complain. It is 
 not a question of money, and this bill 
 does not remove the charge. 
 
 " For the present I merely wish to call 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 219 
 
 your attention to this point. Perhaps an 
 opportunity will be found to have their 
 services recoo^nized hereafter. 
 
 " In regard to the other point of the bill, 
 I have to ask that you will endeavor to 
 have such amendment made as will suit 
 the view I have suggested. 
 
 " It is material to me to have the facts 
 of my administration set out distinctly and 
 fully from the authentic records. This is 
 my first desire. But until I can reach 
 this justice, I desire carefully to guard 
 against any legislative action which it 
 might be difficult to explain afterwards, 
 as such is usually held conclusive. 
 
 (Signed) " J. C. Fremont, 
 
 "^c„ 8scr 
 
 But what could justify (granting the 
 pretext against those at Springfield) the 
 
220 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 dismissal of the company who had never 
 left St. Louis, and who were guiltless 
 of victory or " sentiments " ] The regu- 
 lations require that all charges shall go 
 through the officer immediately command- 
 ing, — naturally enough, if a fair hearing 
 and justice are to be secured. But except 
 the vague anonymous say-so repeated by 
 General McClellan in his despatch, no 
 explanation has ever been made. 
 
XV. 
 
 " Whate'er success awaits my future life, 
 The beautiful is gone — that comes no more." 
 
 And this is the story of the Body- 
 Guard. It is not claimed for them that 
 they showed a rarer courage than tens of 
 thousands of others in this war. But theirs 
 was the singular fortune to go to their 
 first battle under a cloud of reproach, 
 though blameless, and to return from it 
 victorious, to the punishment reserved for 
 the gravest military offences. They did 
 their whole duty and more. They lit up 
 the dark war-cloud, further blackened by 
 Ball's Bluff, with a lightning ray of 
 victory, an earnest of what was to fol- 
 low. For this they were dismissed the 
 
Q22 THE STORY OF THE GUAHD. 
 
 service ; the morning freshness of their love 
 of country blighted, and its first offering 
 rejected. It is such a grievous sin to 
 throw back generous feelings and make 
 trust impossible. I dreaded its effect on 
 them. But they are pro™g that deeper 
 than any self-love lies love of country. 
 Nearly all are again in ser\'ice. They 
 have deserved higher regard than any 
 ordinary victory can earn, — for they have 
 conquered themselves. 
 
 When there is such a weight of sacri- 
 fice and suffering. I trust much apology 
 is not needed for my attempt to lessen its 
 burden on those to whose assistance this 
 little offering is dedicated. 
 
 I think only the wife of a man much 
 before the public can fully value the sa- 
 credness of home, and make it almost 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. £23 
 
 a religion to guard against any jDrofana- 
 tion of its sweet security. Born to and 
 educated in this feeling in my father's 
 house, and confirmed in it by the expe- 
 rience of my own home, it has been a 
 real sacrifice for me to lay open even 
 so small a part of my life. This is un- 
 necessary to say to those who know me, 
 but as such a vast many more do not, 
 and, only seeing what's done, know not 
 what's resisted, I beg of them to bear 
 this m mind, and not think this attempt 
 to relieve suffering more unwomanly or 
 less needed than any of the other new 
 positions in which women are finding 
 themselves during this strange phase of 
 our national life. 
 
 The restraints of ordinary times do not 
 apply now. How many women — many 
 of them rich in the good gifts of youth 
 
Q2if THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 and beauty, and charm of mind — min- 
 ister daily at the bedsides of men whose 
 very names are unknown to them, over- 
 coming, not only their shuddering repug- 
 nance to ghastly sights, but the deeper 
 instinct of shyness and reserve. They 
 can well bear the sneers of those whose 
 Decameronish instinct leads them to sit 
 apart in pleasant places, and cultivate for- 
 getfulness while the angel of death is 
 leaving no house unvisited. They have 
 "waked to a higher aim:" — they "have 
 felt with their native land and are one 
 with their kind." 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 225 
 
 List of those Wounded en Action at Spring- 
 field, October 25th, 1861. 
 
 Co. A. 
 
 Sergeant Jos. C. Frock, De Witt, Missouri. 
 
 Corporal Philip F. Davis, Belleville, Illinois. 
 Corporal Edward H. Deane, St. Louis, Missouri. 
 Private C. H. Bowman, St. Louis, Missouri. 
 
 Private Frederick Lenderking, St. Louis, Missouri. 
 Private A. J. Wisa, St. Louis, Missouri. 
 
 Co. B. 
 
 1st Lieut. W. Westerborg, St. Louis, Missouri. 
 1st Lieut. Louis Vansteenkiste, St. Louis, Missouri. 
 
 Corporal J. T. Underwood, St. Louis, Missouri. 
 
 Corporal G. W. Holbrook, St. Louis, Missouri. 
 
 Corporal Louis Winel, Columbia, Illinois. 
 
 Private John Frank, St. Louis, Missouri. 
 
 Co. C. 
 
 1st Lieut. Jos. M. Kennedy, Covington, Kentucky. 
 
 2d Lieut. James Goff, Carbondale, Pennsylvania. 
 
 Sergeant Charles H. Hunter, Hamilton Co., Ohio. 
 
 Private Henry M. Diggins, Cincinnati, Ohio. 
 
 Private WiUiam C. Williams, Cincinnati, Ohio. 
 
 Private Daniel G. Jones, Cincinnati, Ohio. 
 
 15 
 
226 THE STORY OF THE GUARD. 
 
 Private Benjamin T. Haebler, Clermont Co., Oliio. 
 
 Private Allen Purdy, Covington, Kentucky. 
 
 Private C. W. Moore, Broome Co., Ohio. 
 
 Private P. M. Murphy, Canada. 
 
 Private William Haskell, Cincinnati, Ohio. 
 
 Private Robert Lee, Cincinnati, Ohio. 
 
 Private J. R. Day, Hamilton Co., Ohio. 
 
 Two of the Prairie Scouts, whose names 
 I have at present no means of ascertain- 
 ing, were killed in the charge, and buried 
 with the dead of the Guard. 
 
 The Prairie Scouts are still in service, 
 and entitled to all the rewards which the 
 country gives to its soldiers ; what they 
 did on the field is already chronicled, and 
 their young commander is winning con- 
 tinued distinction in the West. But the 
 Guard, having been dismissed the ser- 
 vice, can receive no pension ; and for 
 them there is ho other reward than 
 the consciousness of duty well done. I 
 
THE STORY OF THE GUARD. g^y 
 
 have fallen far short of my hope to do 
 them justice, — giving up the attempt to 
 individualize, as I found the truth of 
 Zagonyi's words, " that all was worthy 
 of mention." 
 
 THE END. 
 
TROOPER'S DEATH. 
 
 Words and Moac translated and arranged from the German. 
 
 nm 
 
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 Con Jorza 
 
 
 iiH 
 
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 1. The wearv ni^ht is o'er at las: ! "We 
 
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 •ij' 
 
 r- — ' -0- -0- m • _^_ -^_ 
 
 Tempo hen marcato. 1 , ^ 
 
 ^ — '-*-^— • #-^-*-#->^— # #-L~ / >-■ L 
 
 ride so still, we ride so fast, We ride where death is 
 -fi ^__ S 
 
 i 
 
 :5^ 
 
 1/ I > 
 
 nil — »' 
 
TROOPER'S DEATH. Concluded. 
 
 lying, The morning wind doth coldly pass, Landlord we'll take an - 
 
 —0— -0— — J— 
 
 oth - er glass, Ere dy - ing, ere dy - ing ! 
 
 -^ — s- 
 
 Ad lib 
 
 -J- ! N 
 
 2 Thou springing grass, that art so green, 
 Shall soon be rosy red, I ween, 
 My blood the hue supplying! 
 I drink the first glass, sword in hand, 
 To him who for the Fatherland 
 
 Lies dying! 
 
 3 Now quickly comes the second draught, 
 And that shall be to freedom quaffed 
 While freedom's foes are flying! 
 The rest, O Land! our hope and faith! 
 We'd drink to thee with latest breath, 
 
 Though dying! 
 
 4 My darling! — ah, the glass is out! 
 The bullets ring, the riders shout — 
 No time for wine or sighing! 
 There! bring my love the shivered glass, 
 Charge! on the foe! no joys surpass 
 
 Such dying! 
 
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