The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1883-06-22
THE FIRST TO FALL.

WOI tn, ShOt by jackson, at Alexau-
.drfa. As Related by Captain Brown
ell, Who Killed the Rebel on tn Q
Spot. .
Twenty-Five years ago says the Cleve-
land Leader, a Confederate flag aoated
in the warm breeze of southern cline,
over the Marshall House, in Alexandria,
Va, Virginia had seeded on the pre-
ceding day. Alexandria, which had
been filled with insurgents, had, on the
morning of this, the oath of May, been
placed under the white flag of truce I'M
der an agreement with the commander
of the gunboat Pawnee, that it should
surrender at 8 o clock in the evening, but
still that rebel banner:hoated over the Mr..
shall House, all insult to every loyal citi-
zen. Colonel Ephrainl Elmer Ellsworth,
of the New York Zouaves, as brave a
man and as noble soldier as ever lived,
tore down that confederate flag twenty
two years ago to-uay, and few months
later the first union blood that had dyed
southern soil was shed, Colonel Ellis
worth paying with his life for that one
act of loyalty. Jackson, the proprietor
of the Marshall House, shot the noble
A1lISh I'LL dOmA WlUuOuG Oll0
warning. But Jackson met death as
sudden, his miserable body one moment
later being pinned to the floor by the
bayonet OF Captain Frank E Brownell,
who avenged the death O; his young
commander before the blood was vet
cold in his veins. Captain Brownell was
in the city during the past week, and,
at the request of Leader reporter,
gave a graphic account Of the tragedy in
which he played so prominent a part,
which cannot but be read with interest
by everyone on this the anniversary of
the death Of the first Union soldier
killed on rebel soil.
1T was at midnight on May %, 1861,
that we received our orders to 90 to
Alexandria," said Captain Brownell.
sour company, the New York Fire Zou-
aves. had been raised by Colonel Ellis
worth from the fire department of New
York in less than two days after Presi-
dent Lincoln had issued his call for U.s..
oOO men, and four days after Fort Sum-
ter had capitulated and the Nation was
throbblng in the first throes of revolu-
ton: The regiment had left New York
Sor Washington on April 80, after over
coming much opposition from the civil
authorities, who claimed that Colonel
'Eiisworth's regiment contained more
men than the State law allowed. I had
just come down from Troy, and joined
Colonel Ellsworth's zouaves out of nv
confidence in the commander and admit
ration of his character. Colonel Ellis.
'worth's Fire Zouaves sttracted much at
'tention on their arrival at Washington.
They were the first volunteers on the
ground. A good lnanv militia organic
atoms were already at the Capital, but
EllsWorth's command was the first vol
1nteer regiment i'll the field which had
had no previous organization. Ellis
Worth's command was quartered in the
House OF Representatives. There were
ZONE pretty hard characters among his
.men, but no worse than among other
regiments raised at the time.
Some acts oflawlessness raised storm
"of indignation in the city and created a
Fprejudice against the whole regiment.
Ellsworth ascertained the amount of
damage that had been done and paid it
out of his own pocket, but the feeling
against the regiment was so strong that
1t was decided to move 1t out of the city.
This was not done, however, until the
Zouaves had recovered their prestige by
their gallant servi.e at the big fire at
Willard's Hotel.
when it was whispered about head.
quarters that movement was to be
made on Alexandria, Colonel Ellsworth.
between whom and President Lincoln q
warm friendship and existed for over
year, Ellsworth having been in Lincoln's
law Office and on the stump for him in
that year, and having been one of the
party that started with the Presidents
elect, for Washingt.n-Colonel Ellis
worth, say, went to President Lincoln
disloyal, and he wanted nothing to &C.
cur that might incense them against the
government, but rather wished to 80
conduct the movement that it would
win them over. The insurgents must be
driven out of Alexandria or taken with.
out bloodshed if possible. The position
of President Lincoln was fully under
stood and appreciated by Colonel Ellis
worth. He promised to be. responsible
Tor his men if they were allowed the ad-
vance. Ills conference was of course
unknown to the command. At IL o'clock
on that night. May %, 1861, the men
were ordered into line and Colonel Ellis:
worth made short address to them,
which he closed with the words, when
we reach the place of destination act
like men, and do nothing to bring shame
upon the regiment. Show the enemy
that you are M en- as we'll as soldiers and
that you will treat them with kindness
until they force you to use violence. 1
want to kill them with kindness and no
mater what may, happen not shot
before retiring that night Colonel Ellis
E0rtA-wrote the following touching let
ter to his father and mother.
A LErTEB TO his PARENTS.
WASHINGTON, D. G., May %, 1885.
my dear parents: The regiment isor-
dered to move across the river tonight.
reception we will meet with, although
am Of the opinion that our entrance to
the city of Alexandria will be holly con-
tested, as I am just informed that a
large body of troops arrived here to-day.
Should this happen, my dear parents, it
may be my lot to be injured in some
manner. Whatever may happen che IRISH
'the consolation of knowing I was en-
gagged in a sacred duty, and tonight,
thinking of the possibility of tomorrow
and the occurrences of the past, am
perfectly contented to accept whatever
my fortune may be, confident that He
who notes the fall of sparrow will
have some purpose even in the fate of
one like me.
my darling and ever loving parents,
good bye! God bless protect, and care
for you!-ELMER
AT two o'clock in the morning of May
"a the boat containing the Ellsworth
Fire Zouaves quietly dropped down the
river. When we arrived off Alexandria
q small boat shot out from the shadow of
the gunboat Pawnee, and landed at the
wharf simultaneously with us. This
boat contained IN officer bearings white
flag, and hurried consultation was held