Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-05-29
The Muyder of Col. Eilsworth-The
Particula o, by n spe ecial COHYes
pondent 60 the Tribune.

ParttCula o. by Speclah COKEe1
pondent 60 the Tribune.
Before our troops dsembarked, boat, filed
with armed marines, and carrying q fag of
truce, put of from the Pa~nee, and landed
ahead of us From the officer In charge we
learned that the Pawnee had already proposed
terms OF submission to tho town, and that the
Rebels had consented TO vacate within epeci-
fed time This seemed TO settle the question
of contest in the negative; but 10 the confu-
sion OF mastering aud forming the men, the in
tellgeDce was not well understood, and receiv
ed but little attention. Indeed, | am quite sure
that the Pawnee's officer did not seek Col. Ellis.
worth to communicate with him, and that the
Colonel only obtained a meager share of Infor-
nation by seeking it directly from the bearer
of the flag of truce himself No doubt this
omission arose from the confused condition in
which affairs then stood. But IL would have
caused no difference In the Colonel's military
plans. No attack was meditated, except 10 case
of forcble resistance to bis progress On the
other hand, the idea Of the place being under q
truce seemed to Danish every suspicion of re-
sistance either from multitudes or indi yiduals.
Il was just possibly this consideration that led
Col. Ellsworth to forego the requisite personal
precautions, which, II taken, would have pre-
NtDtcu uCdtHs oub i ALI sure none
Of us at that time estimated the probability Of
the danger which aiterward meDaced US. Per-
haps the thought of actual bloodshed and death
In war was too foreign to our experiences to be
rightly weighed. But it certainly did not enter
our minds then, as poor Ellsworth's fate has
since taught Us 1t should have done, that a
town half walked, half terrified, and under truce,
could harbor any peril for US. go the Colonel
gave some rapid directions for the interruption
of the railway course, by displacing a few
rails near the depot, and then turned TO-
ward the center of the town, to destroy the
means of communication southwark by the tele
graph; measure which he appeared to regard
as very seriously important. he was accompa
MED by Mr.. H. ]. Winser, Military Secretary
TO the Regiment, the Chaplain, the Rev. E w
Dodge, and myself. At fret be summoned nc
guard to follow him, but he afterward turned
and called forward q single squad, with Ser.
geant from the first company. We passed
quickly through the streets, meeting few be-
wildered travellers issuing from the principal
hotel, which seemed TO be slowly coming to its
daily senses, and were about 10 turn toward the
| telegraph office, when the Colonel, first of all
caught sight Of the Secession flag, which has
90 long swung insolently In full view of the
Presidents House. He Immediately sent back
the Sergeant, with an order for the advance OF
the entire first company, and. leaving the mat
ter Of the telegraph Office for while, pushed on
| to the hotel, which proved to be the Marshall
House, second-class Inn. On entering the
open door, the Colonel met man ia his shirt
and trowsers, OF whom he demanded what sort
Of flag IL was that hung above the roof
The stranger, who seemed greatly alarmed
declared he knew nothing of it, and that he
was only boarder there Without question:
| ing him further the Colonel sprang up stairs,
and we all followed to the topmost story
whence, by means Of ladder, be clambered TO
the roof, cut down the Tag with Winser q knife
and brought IL from it's staff. There were two
men In bed 10 the garrett, whom we had not OBJ
| served at all when We entered, their position
being somewhat concealed, but who now rose /
great apparent amazement, although observe,
that they were more than half dressed. We a
once turned to descend, Private Brownell lead
ing the way. and Colonel Ellsworth immedi-
ately following bin with the fag.- As Brownel
reached the fret lsnding-place, or entry, after q
descent of some dozen steps, man Jumped
from q dark passage, and hardly noticing the
private, leveled double barreled gun souare al
the Colonel's breast. Brownel made a Quick
pass to turn the weapon aside, but the fellows
hand was firm, and be discharged one barrel
straight to Its aim, the slugs OF buckshot with
which it was loaded entering the Colonel's
heart, and killing him at the Instant Think
my arm was resting on poor Ellsworth's shoul-
der at the moment At any rate, be seemed to
fall almost from my own grsep. He was
landing, and he dropped forward with
that heavy, horrible, beadopg weight which al
| ways comes Of sudden death inflicted In this
manner. His sssAilant had turned like lash
to give the contents of the other barrel to
Brownell, but either he could not command bis
| aim or the Zouave was too quick with him, foi
the slugs went over bis head, and passed tbro
the panels and wainscot Of O door which shelf.
cred some sleeping dodgers. Simultaneousl,
with this second shot, and sounding like the
echo Of the fret, Brownel's rife was heard, and
the assassin staggered backward He was hll
exactly In the middle OF the face, and the wound
as / afterward saw it, was the most frightlul
ever Witnessed. Of course Brownell did no,
know how fatal his shot had been, and 90 before
the man dropped, he thrust his saber bsyone
through and through the body, the force Of th,
blow sending the dead man violently down th,
upper section of the second fgh
Of stairs at the foot Of which he lay with BIZ
face to the floor Winser ran from above, cry.
ing, "Who 10 hit2" but as be glanced down.
ward by our feet, he needed no answer.
Bewildered for an instant by the suddenneas o
this attack, and not knowing what more nigh
be In store, We forbore 10 proceed, aud gather
ed together defensisely. There were but seve
Of us altogether, and one was without weapon
Of any kind. BroWnell Instantly reloaded, an
while doing so perceived the door through whic
the ass,ilant's shot had passed beginning :
open. He brought his rife to the shoulder
and menaced the occupants. two travellers, vic
immediate death, If they stirred The tire
other privates guarded tho passages, Of whic
& there were quite number oonverging to th
point where We stood, while the Chaplain an
Il Winser looked to the staircase by which "
had descended, and the adjoining chambers
ran down stairs to see ifany thing was threat enc
from the story below, but Il sooL appeared ther
was no danger from that quarter. However, y
we were not at all disposed to move from on
position. From the opening doors, and tbroug
the passages, we discerned suflcen
number of forms to assure US that "
were dreadfully In the minority. think mo-
that there was no danger, and that the singl
: assailant acted without concert with anybody
butitis impossible TO know accurately, and 1
vas certainly doubtful question then. Th
frat thing TO be done Was to look to our dea
friend and leader. He bad fallen on his fac,
aud the streams Of blood that flowed from bi
wound had literally flooded the way. The Chal
lain turned him gently over, and stopped an
called his name aloud, at which thought the
Ihe murmured inarticulately. Ipresume I wa
mistaken, and am not sure that he spoke
word after being struck, although In my dii
patch repeated single exclamation which
had believed he uttered. II might have bee
Brownell, or the Chaplain, who was close b
bind me. Winser and lifted the body wi,
, all the care we could apply, and laid II upo