Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1861-06-06

then. The first thing to be done, was ia
look to our dead friend and leader. He had
fallen on his face, and the streams of blood
that flowed from his wound had literally
Hooded the way. The Chaplain turned him
gently over, and stopped and called his
name aloud, at which [ thought then he
murmured inarticulately. | presume I was
mistaken, and am not sure that he smoke
word after being struck, although in my
dispatch repeated single exclamation
which had believed he uttered. 1t might
have been Brownell, or the Chaplain, Who
was close behind me. Winser and lifted
the body with all the care we could apply,
and laid it upon bed in a room near by..
Thc rebel flag, stained with his blood, and
purified by this contact from the baseness of
It's former meaning, we laid about his feet.
II was at first difficult to discover the precise
i""a!.i" '.. c' his wound ior ali parts of his
coat were equally saturated with blood. BY
cautiously looseniDg his belt and unbutton-
ing his coat, we found where the shot had
penetrated. None Of us had any medical
knowledge, but we saw that all hope must
be resigned. Nevertheless, it seemed pro-
per TO summon the surgeon as speedily as
possible; This could not easily be done, for.
secluded as we were in that part of that town,
and uncertain whether an ambush might not
be waiting us also, no man could volunteer
to venture forth alone, and to 60 together
and leave the Coloncl's body behind was out
OF the question. We wondered at the long
delay of the first company, for the advance
of which the Colonel had sent back before
approaching the hotel, but we subsequently
learned that they had mistaken street. and
gone little out of their way. Before tbev
arrived we had removed some oftbe INSIGHT
ly stains from the Colonels features. and
composed his limbs. His expression in death
was beautifully natural. The Colonel was
singularly handsome man, and dexceptinp the
pallor, there was nothing different in his
countenance now from what all his friends
had 50 lately been accustomed to gladly re-
cognlze. The detachment was heard appro-
aching at last, a Reinforcement was easily
called up, aud the surgeon was sent for. His
arrival, not long after of course sealed our
own unhappy belief. A sufficient guard was
presently distributed over the house, but
meanwhile | had remembered the Colonel
earnestness about the telegraph seizure, and
obtained permission to guide squad of
Iouaves to the office, which was found to
be entirely open, with all the doors aiar, vet
apparently deserted 1t looked little like
another surprise. The men remained in
charge. presume it was not wholly in Or
der for me, a civilian, to start upon this mis-
sion; but was the only person who knew
the whereabouts of the office, and the
Colonel had been very positive about the
matter. When | returned to the hotel,
there was terrible scene enacting A wo-
man had run from lower room to the stair
way, where the body of the defender of the
secession flag lay, and recognizing it, cried
aloud with an agony so heartrending that no
person could witness it without emotion.-
She lung her arms in the air, struck her
brow madly, and seemed in every way utter
ly abandoned to desolation and frenzy
She, offered no reproaches-appcared, in
deed, almost regardless of our presence, and
yielded only to her own frantic despair. 1t
was her husband that had been shot. He
was the proprietor Of the hotel. His name
was } ames L. jackson. Wisner was conf
dent 1t was the same man who met us at the
door when we entered and told US he was u
boarder. His wife, as said, was wild al
most to insanity. Yet she listened when
spoken to, and although no consolation
could be offered her by us for what she had
lost, she seemed sensible to the assurance
that the safely of her children, for whom
she expressed fears, could not possibly be
endangered.
1t is not from any wish to fastcn obloouy
upon the slayer of Col Ellsworth, butsi
ply because it struck me as a frightful fact,
thaft | say the face of the dead man wore
the most revolving expression of rage and
hatred that ever saw. Perhaps the nature
of his wound added to this effect, and the
wound was something. so appalling that l
shall not attempt to describe it, as it i'm
20 hall Al
suit from bullet wound could not ensue
once in thousand times. Either of Brown
ell $ onslaughts would have been instantane-
ously fatal. The saber wound was not less
effective than that of the ball. The gun
which jackson had fired lay beneath him,
clasped in his arms, and as we did not at
first all know that both barrels had been dis
charged, it was thought necessary to remove
it, lest it should be suddenly seized and made
use Of from below. In doing this, his coun-
tenance was revealed
As the morning advanced the townspeople
began to gather in the vicinity, and guard
was fixed preventing ingress and egress -
This was done to keep parties from know
ing what had occurred, for the Zouaves
were so devoted to their Colonel that it was
feared if they all were made acquainted
with the real fact, they would sack the house.
On the other hand, it was not thought wise
to let the Alexandrians know thus early the
fate of their townsman. The Zouaves were
the only regiment that had arrived, and
their head and soul was gone Besides, the
duties which the Colonel had hurriedly as
signed before leaving them had scattered
some companies in various parts of the town.
Several persons sought admission to the
Marshall House, among them sister ofthe
dead man, who had heard the rumor, but
who was not allowed to know the true state
of the case. 1t was painful to hear her re-
mark, as she went away, that "of course
they wouldn't shoot a man dead in his own
house about bit Of old bunting"
Many of the dodgers were anxious to 60
forth, but they were detained until after l
had left. All sorts of arguments and per-
suasions were employed, but the Zouave
guards were inexorable.
At about 7 o'clock, mounted officer rode
up and informed us that the Michigan First
had arrived, and had captured troop Of
rebels, who had at first demanded time for
reflection, but who afterwards concluded to
, yield at discretion Not long after this, the
surgeon made arrangements for the convey
ance of Col. Ellsworth s body to Washing
ton. 1t was properly vailed from sight, and.
with great tenderness, taken by detach
IL Uou,uoa anI tba FJot Nnn