Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-06-26
UNDER FIRE.



Some time before the war a PresbyteT
clergym from New Hampshire went South,
with his family for the benefit of his health.
He purchased little farm in Virginia, about
three miles from Washington, d. G., access
TO which was had by the way Of Georgetown
and the Aqueduct bridge. He gradually fail
ed in health, however, and died, leaving
widow-Mrs. Gayes-and two girls and two
boys. At the breaking out of the war in
1861, Mrs. Cages and her elder daughter,
who was about fifteen years of age, took
decided stand in favor of the Union cause.
1t required not a little moral courage to do
this but there was no element Of fear in the
make up of any member of the family. At
first their home was within the Confederate
lines, and communication with Washington
was very difficult aud hazardous. Mrs.
Gayes WAS Tidiculed, and sometimes threat
ened, but il availed nothing.
After the Confederate lines were driven
back a few miles in 1861, fortihcations were
constructed around Washington for the pro-
lection of the national capital. They con
sisted of a chain of forts arranged in nearly
q circle. The line crossed the Potomac near
Chain bridge above Georgetown, extending
thence down to Arlington Heights and some
distance below, recrossing the river about
half way between Long bridge and Aexan-
dria, and 80 on around until the circle was
complete. Within this line and about mile
and half from Fort Smith, situated on a
| little eminence, was Mrs. Gayes's modest
home, protected now from the enemy, but
suffering more, perhaps, from her friends
| Many regiments were encamped near by !;
| aud little by little her timber and fences and
crops disappeared until there was scarcely
anything left save the house and the land.
| Even the cook-stove was missing one morn
II q aelN ahA wwraa
| aroused by the beating of "the long roll, "
/ the shouting of words of command, and the
tramping of regiments as they swiftly form
ed in line of battle TO meet the expected enc
| N.Y. On such occasions all the members of
the family would hastily dress secure about
their persons what valuables they had, and
patiently wait. During all these trying years
she and her daughter we're devoted friends
to the Union cause, and their willing hands
were untiring in doing something for the
| soldiers.
II WAS a midsummer morning in 1864. Out
| in the fields and over in the city it was
scoFching hot But in Mrs. Gayes's house,
protected as it was from the rays Of the sun
by the abundant foliage of the great oaks
which surrounded il, the heat was not op
pressive. Mrs. Cages was in the sitting
room reading paper. The elder daughter
was in Washington. Oharley-the elder soI
who was then near twelve years of age,
was playing with the dog on the porch. Il
was a quiet picture of Virginia country life
Suddenly there came a loud whistling
screaming sound followed by a terrific ex
plOsion directly over the house.
"Why !" circulated Mrs. Cages, as sh'
started from her seat, "whAt. heavy claI
Of" thunder she was about to say, but the
unmiatakable humming, twanging sound
| tuhfoh fnllOman alnaa the aWnlOelOn
with the falling of leaves and broken branche
from the trees, told her il was a shell from
some heavy gun.
''Is it possible the rebels are making an at
tack 2" she said
The children now came running in frOn
their play, and one OF them cried out, "Oh
mamma the lightning has struck the trees.
Mrs. Cages went out on the porch and look
ed and listened, but nothing unusual coul
be seen or heard
at was a she'll" said She 81 expect
gun at one Of the forts went of accidental
ly."
"Well," said Charley, "when they loa
their guns wish they'd point them towar
Richmond They ought TO be ashamed Q
themselves"
81 don't think we shall be troubled an
more, said the mother as she returned
. the sitting-room, followed by the children
She had but Just resumed her seat when al
other shell buried itself in the earth fe
rods from the house and burst, throwing u
, clouds Of dust aud dirt.
"What can il mean ?" said Mrs. Cages.
~ know what it means, mamms2' erie
Q Charley. THAT New York regiment whic
= has just been sent over 10 Fort Smith hi
a put up a target in our field, and the fellow
I, are firing at 1t. wish was a general 1
put every one OF them in the guard house
= The boy was right in his surmise, and in
few moments another missile thrown fro
Il one of the huge siege guns with which Il
j. fort was armed, struck a quarter OF mi
away, and came bounding or riooehetiI
n toward the house, striking the ground
short intervals in its mad course, somethiI