ig

ifts and pledges were exchanged, and the time passed swiftly. One day there was great excitement. Coffee was swallowed hastily, knapsacks were p

he will grieve over her absent boy, and fancy me in a thousand

d stick, telling her of his safety and health. These short but welcome missives wer

arching upon the town. The latter, however, saved considerable of the government property, and next seized the bridge at Point of Rocks, thus circumventing General Butler, who was n

ittle cabin perched far up the hillside was the home of those who had shed tears when old John Brown was led forth to die. Poor and sca

ig

it. To him hills and valleys, with their somber shadows, were objects of awe. He noted the beautiful homes of wealth and taste as he w

ig

as they drew into a small station for water, "pears

Well, I knowed better. I'se been Norf wid

the first time since leaving home, felt lonely. He saw throngs of people, but all was strange and new to him, and

ig

ut of what most of them regarded as a sort of a gala time. "But we are ready whenever we are called upon," was their unanimous cry. The shooting of Colonel Ellsworth at Alexandria, because he tore down a secession flag, so short a time previous, and his prompt avenging, as you remember, had roused them to a sense of the hostility which was

ig

weeks. The South was plainly up in arms, and that "rebellion," which the whole North at first thought but th

ommand of the military

ig

. "The lads say he is a smart lawyer, but I don'

s letter ran. "I know how fond you are of your boy. I am going to do my duty, I believe. But is it not an

not accept the gravity of the situation. They marched along, light-hearted and gay, enjoying the change from quiet camp life with all the zest of school boys. Many of them fell out of the ranks and picked the luscious ber

Ralph thought. "We are h

having a merry time, when the roll of the drum was heard and the marching was resumed. Here was a fix! The army began to move, and a dozen soldiers were still in the stream, who snatched up the first garments they saw and hastened to dress. In their co

chmond!" sounded t

the boys in blue, were impatient tor some results, now that an army had been called into bei

Elliott, a soldier who had taken quite a fancy to the b

me chap who opened

es he propos

in the dark long, neither are we likely to be the gainers by any move he makes if he can hel

k, from what they say. They'r

ig

home know about the dangers and trials of a soldier's life? How is he capable of judging whether it is time to fight or where i

ig

us be in it soon, and who knows

ig

te feather, I hope!' and Bill peered

my poor mother, and, besides, you know I am goi

must feel bad have you in our a

y hastened to add. "It would break her hear

through all right. I c

I shall. It seems to me this

cClellan taught the Johnnies a les

" Ralph's eye

n made a general, and given the Ohio troops to command. He crossed the Ohio with four regiments and banged after the enemy. He found it hard work, for they say Colonel Porterfield burned all the

e was called, was made commander-i