Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1861-08-28
a Humorous Statement from Prisoner
OF War-Old Scott Takes the Oath.

The New Orleans Sunday Delta publish
es the following from Asa Hartz:
War is big thing; and I have good
right to say it. For haven't been to the
war! Didn't | fight, bleed, and have the
narrative of my coat violently, ruthlessly,
and murderously abbreviated by the SAN
gulnary sword bayonet of bloody New
York Fire Zouave? Want taken prison
er by the same Zouave, at Bull Run, and
unceremoniously ushered into the presence
Mcdowell ! War is big thing, and l
desire to stand to the assertion.
1t matters not how KIubs and chanced
to be at the battle Of Bull Run. We were
there, on business of my Uncle Dayy-
and that is sufficient.
Whilst Klubs and [ were seated in a
tree, and lndulging in loud huzzahs of gen.
eral glorifcaticn at the defeat of the. Fed
eralists and the triumph of our army. we
were surprised ey the ssasrai zoaaves.
of the "pet lamb" style, who presented
their pieces, and gave US choice of " COON
ing 1t" down the tree, or having our de-
scent to terra .tfrnaa accelerated by the ad-
ditlonal 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.
kubs Was ferociously and cruelty sepa-
rated from me, and taken-I 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 captors, reached
the quarters of the puissant Mcdowell,
who backed the Federal troops in their at
tack and led them in their retreat.
The Mcdowell then asked me who
was. | told him l was Asa Hartz. He
dismissed my captors, and told me he
would be compelled to send me on to
Washington, as he had been instructed to
secure me, dead or alive, and at the haz-
ard of his entire division. In view of the
vast Importance of the affair, kindly ad
yised him to rip ahead.
was Immediately sent to Washington,
under guard of fourteen Zouaves and two
bottles Of brandy, and was ushered into
the presence of Gen. Scott, who happened
to be taking the oath of allegiance at the
time.
The old General was delighted to see
me, Che is son of Malta, and immediate.
ly informed the Lincolns of my captnre.-
They lost no time in coming to Scott's
headquarters-Old Abe, Mrs L., and the
veritable Bob, (all sons of Malta.) MY
status in the order gave me passport di-
rect to their best feelings, and | was not
only allowed to go at large, but was invi.
teo by Gen. Scott to make his home mine
He also assured me that this grand army
would Immediately march on to Manassas
and that l should be the first rebel, not in
the Confederate army, to hear of the de-
feat of fmy countrymen.
Bully" said /. And old F. & F. was
soft enough to think | didn't know some
thing. With the pious ejaculation, "Oh
my country p he Immediately proceeded
to take the oath of allegiance again.
! | left the General and took stroll with
Bob. Bob talked freely about the nation
al troubles, and wound upby telling me he
didn't care continental-how things
went, SO long as the old woman had the
run of the old mans rhino; and if JEFF
Davis wanted totake possession of Wash
ington, all he asked was that the family be
permitted to leak out before the Confeder-
ates got in.
Then | was allowed to go where I pleas
ed until Sunday morning, the 2lst July,
when | was summoned to the presence OF
Scott.
Asa" said he with his foot in buck
ct of ice water, look at the dispatch
which have just received from our brave
General Mcdowell. Don't you think your
JEFF. Davis, (here horrible pain seemed
to strike the old man, and your Beaure-
gard, and your Johnston had better SIM
mer down! Do you think they can stand
before our brave 60,000s
| didn't have any better sense than to
tell old F. q F. / thought they could. ]
read the dispatch, however, which was a.
follows
JusT THIs SIDE SroNE BRIDeE, 8 A. NJ.
To GEN. ScoTT We are moving alono
slowly and surely, taking masked batteries
wherever we can pick them mp. We ex