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

in full view Of the Marshall House, on
which confederate flag was futtering
in the breeze. At sight of the rebel flag
Ellsworth halted us. Turning to the
sergeant he said: Marshal 20 back and
tell Capt. Coyle, of company A. to hurry
his company up here as soon as posi-
ble.' Then we all passed up the street
for short distance, Col, Ellsworth and
the newspaper men little distance in
advance. l suppose he was going to
leave Capt. Coyle to take care of the
flag when he came up with his company.
II that was his intention he changed his
mind, for he suddenly turned and went
diagonally across the street to The Mar
shall House.
II have no doubt he remembered the
promise he had made to the President
and desired to m
GET THAT FLAG OUT OF SIGHT
before the soldiers came up. You can
that flag would have had upon bis com
pany. The men would have been SO
infamed that Capt. Coyle would be un-
able to control them. Colonel Ellis
worth intended to quietly remove the
flag, and prevent any violence that it
might have caused. He had promised
| to be responsible for his men. He in
| tended to keep thnt promise, and to
carry out President Lincoln's wish that
there be no violence. No one was on
the street. No one was stirring about the
hotel. Col. Ellsworth went into the hotel,
and we followed him. There was but
one person;visible-the first man we had
yet met-and he stood behind the coun-
ter in the office. Ellsworth asked him
for the proprietor. He replied in sur
ly manner that he was not about. The
whole party then went into the hall and
started up the stairway to the attic. No
body offered to stop US, and nobody was
to be seen to do so. When we reached
the attic Ellsworth mounted step-lad.
der leading to the roof, where the flag
haivards came through the scuttle, and
pulled in the offending bunting and
threw it down the the ladder. We start
ed down the stairs, which were old
fashioned wooden zigzag ones, broken
with landings between each story.
was in advance.
Cup to this time everything had been
so quiet, peaceful, and dead that none of
US dreamed of violence. AS made the
turn Of the landing in the middle OF the
flight leading to the third floor. saw a
man standing on the floor below at the
side of the stairs with the barrel of
double barreled gun resting on the ban
mister. He was brawny looking fellow
and was in his shirt sleeves. I saw as
quick as flash what that gun and that
man meant. was in his eye.
'By the instinct of self-preservation
rather than anything else, I jumped to
the foot of the stairs at bound. AS I
alighted beside him struck down his
gun with my own. Both pieces struck
the bannister together and both glanced
downward until they slipped off the end
of the Dannister, where the guns sep
arated. By this time Ellsworth had an.
peared in sight at the landing had but
just left. Without word, and before I
could recover my equilibrium, the man,
who was Jackson, the proprietor of the
house.
RAISED HIS GUN AND FIRED.
The mlzzle of his shotgun was not more
than three or four feet distant.
Colonel Ellsworth, with the single
exclamation My God!' pressed his hand
on his breast, and fell dead at the foot
of the stairway. The heavy charge of
buckshot had pierced him just above
the heart.
'sIu the meantime had jumped back,
and just as Jackson raised his gun again,
fired upon him, hitting him in the left
W. W AChOuo oIoppluE, W bco Iu0 0u6CC
Of my shot, l sprang toward him, and
with quick thrust ofthe bayonet forced
him to the floor. 1t was all done 80
quickly had no time to think. As
Jackson fell, it was with one convulsive
grip upon the trigger. and his other bar
rel was discharged so close to my head
that it seemed to paralyze me. Thecharge
went into the wall just above my head.
As the body of the dead
rebel slipped from my hayonet
it rolled to the floor below.
Jackson had never spoken word from
the first and died without sign. The
story that his body was mutilated after
bis death is false. By this time the en-
tire party had reached the scene. Great
excitement ensued. People came rush.
ing from the rooms and the street. I
reloaded my gun and the squad stood
on the landing for minute back %
back expecting an attack. We COMPEL.
ed them to stand up in row, that we
might command the situation. Mr..
House, at the imminent risk OF his life
went out for assistance. In few mo-
ments Colonel Wilcox, Michigan,
(since generaD came up stairs with
Captain Coyle and the regimental sur
geon. The body of our dead colonel
was wrapped in blanket and accom-
panied it to the navy yard. where it was
placed in the engine room for the pur-
pose of embalming. When President
Lincoln saw the body he was very
much agitated. Lifting the cloth from
the face of the dead man he exc,aim-
ed with a depth of pathos I shall
never forget MY boy! My boy! Was
it necessary this sacrifice should be
made" He made me relate the whole
20 Ioko J..
Of Ellsworth was taken to the White
House at Mr.. Lincoln's request, where
funeral services were performed. It
was then conveyed to New York and
funeral services repeated at the Astor
House. When it was taken away the
entire fire department escorted it to the
steamer, by which it went to Albany.
There it lay in state at the capitol.
Thence it went to Troy, where another
funera! was held. at which the whole
city turned out. 1t was finally inferred
at Mechanicsville, N. Y, the home of
his parents"
"Capt. Brownell, will you tell me why
1t was that larger guard was not taken
along into the city of Alexandria"
asked the reporter.
Because the city was under flag of
truce. and no danger was apprehended
by any one."
"You think Colonel Ellsworth's wish
to preserve order and prevent his men
from becoming excited and committing
acts of violence, when they came up, was
his motive for getting the flag out of
sight, do you?"
~ most ertainly do He has been crit
icized for this act by people who know
nothing about the circumstances, but
when one fully understands his situation