The Van Buren press., 1861-09-04
A Humorous 8eatemsnt from q
Prisoner Of war-old Scott takes
aA&1s

tho Oath
The New Orleans Sunday Delta publish
es the following from Asa Hartz:
War is . big thing. and have . good
right to say it. For haven't I been to the
wsr? Didn't fight. bleed. and have the
narrative of my coat Violently. ruthlessly
and murderously abbreviated by the san
culinary sword bayonet Of = bloody New
York Fire Zouave? Wasn't taken pris- |
oner by the same Zouave. At Bull Run, and !
unceremoniously ushered into the presence
of the Mcdowell War is a big thing.
and 1 desire to stand to the assertion.
II matters not how Klobs and CHANGED
to bs at the battle Of Bull Run. We were
I fixrs Cd business ofsspy Uncis D4xy-end
thati is sufficient. - -
whifsr KTn6s and were seated in .
tree. and indulging IN loud huzzas Of gene
raj glori6cation at the defeat of the FEEDER
alists. and the triumph of our army. we
were surprised by the appearance of a half
dozen villainious looking Federal Zouaves
OF the "pet lamb" style. who presented
their pieces, and gave us choice of "coon-
ing it" down the tree. or having our descent
to terra frnsa accelerated by the additional
weight of three ounces of lead.
We cooned it down. and it was then
lost the appendage to my coat, which the
Zouave kept as trophy
Klubbs was ferociously and cruelty sep
arated from me. and taken, know not
where. In utter defiance of all military
rule. /, Asa Hartz. was forced to step 80
inches at each stride, for distance of four
miles. until. with my capto-s. / reached the
quarters of the puissant Mcdowell. who
backed the Federal troops in their attack.
and led them in their retreat.
The Mcdowell then asked me who was.
I told him / was Asa Hartz. He dismiss
ed my captors, and told me he would be
compelled to send me on to to Washington
as he had been instructed to secure me dead
or alive. and at the hazard of his entile di-
vision. In view of the vast importance Of
tie affair, kindly advised him to rip
ahead.
1 was Immediately sent to Washington
under a guard of fourteen Zouaves and
two bottles of brandy. and was ushared in
to the presence of Gen. Scott. who hap
pened to be taking the oath of allegiance.
at the time.
The old General was delighted to see me
& he is a son of Malta and Immediately
informed the Lincolns of my capture. They
lost no time in coming to Scott's head
quarters-Old Abe. Mrs. L., and the veri.
table Bob (all sons of Malta. My status
in the order gave me passport direct to
, their best feelings. and was not only allow
, ed to go at large, but was invited by Gen
Scott to make his home mine. He also as
snred me that this grand army would i'm
mediately march on to Manassas. and tha
should be the first rebel, not in the Con
federa.e army, to hear of the defeat of my
countrymen.
"Bully !" said I. And old F. & F. wa
soft enough to think didn't know some
thing. With the pious ejaculation, " Oh
my country - he Immediately proceeded tc
take the oath Of allegiance again.
left the General and took stroll with
Bob. Bob talked freely about the nationa
troubles. and wound up by telling me HI
didn't care a continental d-n how thing
went. so long as the old woman had tn
run of the old mans rhino and if JEFF
Davis wanted to take possession Of Wash
ington, all he asked was that the famil,
be permitted to leak out before the Confed
rates got in.
4 Thus was allowed to go where pleas
ed until Sunday morning, the 2lst of Jul,
when was summoned to the presence o
Gen. Scott.
Asa" said he, with his foot on buck
o ct of ice-water, look at the dispatch which
e have just received from ou, brave Gene
u raj Mcdowell. Don't you think your jeff
e Davis, there q horrible pain seemed t.
: seize the old man, and your Beauregard
and your Johnston had better simmer down
Do you think they can stand before on
brave $4,000.
didn't have any better sense than t
to tell old F. l. F. I thought they could
read the dispatch. however. which was a
4 follows
:. JUsr THIS SIDE SroNE BRIDoE, 8 A. n.
}. To GEN. SCOTT: We are moving along
e slowly and surely. taking masked batterie
wherever we can pick them up. We ex
pect to lie in Richmond-l60 miles-thi
afternoon. in time to adjourn the Confede
rate Congress. Fifty members of the Unit
!, ed States Congress are with me. The
4 pleaded so hard for permission to see tn
" rebels run. that have concluded to Il
them enjoy that privilege.
IRWIN Nc DowELL
Gen. Scott had just finished cu,sin
Gen. Wool, and taking :he oath of allegi
b snce, when his messenger brought him tn
. second Dispatch. which was as follows:
Jusr THIS SIDE SroSE BarpaE, 9 A. n
;. To GEN Scorr: Just took maske
i battery. and captured two wheel-barrows
It On this capture. think series Of event
will turn. Scouts report to me that there
large force of rebels ahead. II this b
: true. you may tell that rebel. Asa Hartz
l. that he will have . sight At the scalp of hi
General. Beauregard. in Washington, at
O'Clock, tomorrow morning.
Mcdowell.
Gen. Scott grinned audibly at this des
patch, and took the oath again. He ha.
not finished before the following dispatche
were received:
SroNr BRIDFE, 9k A.. N.
J :. To GEs. ScorT: The scouts report i
d true, we have opened fire with our canno.
? on the rebels. They have not returned il
calculate they will surrender. If 20
have no objection. l shall stipulate th
n terms of surrender McDowELI.
p P. SIN answer to my demand to SUI
render. Beauregard says he will ses me d.
(dead) first. They have opened FIRE, toe
e and would you believe it. General, the enc
my actually put balls in their guns q p.o
ceeding on their part to which my men Sc
riousiy object. McDowELL.