The National tribune., 1885-11-12
UNCLE DANIELS STORY.
Continued from 1st pa1el

times covered with a sheet of sleet and ice.
Papson hesitated to attack and Head could not
retreat; SO there the two armies lay shivering
in the cold, suffering very greatly, both fearing
to take any decisive steps.
Gen. Silent became quite impatient, believ-
ing it to be the time to strike, as the enemy
could not get away. Finally he concluded to
relieve Papson, but notified him of his order
Papson now made ready for an assault. His
command was posted as follows: Gen A. j.
Smithers on the right who was to assault the
enemy's left, supported by Wellston's cavalry
Ward was to support Smithers ON his left, acting
against Monterey Hill, on the Hillston road :;
SCovens was to hold the interior line, being the
defense of Nashua. When the time arrived,
all being i'll readiness, the command was given.
The enemy seemed to be totally unaware of
the movement Smithers and Welston moved
out along the pike. Wheeling to the left they
st once advanced against the enemy. The cav
airy first struck the enemy at the Harden House.
near Rich Earth Creek, and drove him back,
capturing many prisoners. One of Smithers's
Divisions moving with the cavalry, captured
two strong advance positions of the enemy,
with about 400 prisoners.
" At this time Scoyens's Corps was put in on
Smitherss right, and the advance was then
made by the whole line Wards Corps now
found the enemy to Smitherss left, and Gen.
Anderson led his command against Monterey
Hill and carried it, capturing a number OF pris-
oners Wards Corps at once advanced against
the main line of the enemy, and after bloody
contest carried 1T, capturing a great many
prisoners number of pieces of artillery, and
many stands of colors. The enemy was now
driven out Of his entire line of works and fell
back to a second line to the base of Harpan
Hills, holding his line of retreat by way of
Franktown. Night closed in and stopped again
the play of death. Our forces We're now in pos
session of Is pieces of artillery, with many Off
nd nr,riS p1,,1i Ro1
Our forces bivouacked on their line of battle in
order to be ready for any movement in the
morning.
Wards Corps at in the morning moved
south from Nashua, striking the enemy and
driving him some five miles, to Overtons Hill,
where he had thrown up works and was max
ing stand. Gen. Sleman now moved rapidly
to Gen. Wards left. Scovens remained in his
position of the last night. Welston moved to
the enemy's rear and drew his line across one
of the Franktown roads.
"About2 o'clock one brigade of Wards Corps,
supported by Sleman's Division, assaulted
OvertOn's Hill, which was the enemys center.
One of Sleman's Brigades was composed of
colored troops. The ground over which they
had to assault was open. The enemy re-en-
forced his center. The assault was made, but
received by the enemy with q terrible shower
of grape, canister and musketry. Our forces
moved steadily on, not wavering in the least,
until they had nearly reached the crest of the
hill, when the reserves of the enemy rose from
behind their works and opened one of the most
destructive fires ever witnessed, causing our
troops to first halt and then fall back, leaving
many dead and wounded, both black and white
Unfortunately, in the abatiS and on the field.
"Gen. Ward Immediately reformed his COM
mand, and all the forces of the army moved
simultaneously against the enemy's works, car
rying every position, breaking the lines in
-,,1oo 1r,,, -, ,,{f
from his works, capturing all his artillery and
thousands of prisoners, among whom were
many officers including four Generals. Ward
and WellstOn pursued the fleeing enemy until
by capture and other means Heads army was
entirely destroyed and wiped out of existence
as an organization. 1t appeared no more in
the history of the great rebellion. Thus were
destroyed all the formidable forces of the ene-
my in the West. The army of Papson now
went into Winter quarters at different points
that were thought necessary to be garrisoned.
Peter, by this time, was growing very
weak, having had relapse, resulting in a very
serious hemOrrhage. AT his request l had tele-
graphed Gen. Papson, stating his great desire
to see Gen. Anderson. Upon the receipt of this
leave was Immediately granted the General and
he came home, bringing Lieut. Whitcomb with
him. On the way home people greeted him
everywhere with shouts of joy. They could
now see that the end was near and they were
oyerfowing with gratitude and good feeling.
"On their arrival you can imagine the joy
of our household The meeting between him
and Peter was most touching. Both wept like
children. All were much affected even the
two little children wept and sobbed aloud at
the bedside of their Uncle Peter. My wife
was quite feeble. She greeted the General as
one OF her own sons and said:
"'Our dear Peter is not going to live see
it all, and pray God that he may take me
Also
THE General encouraged Peter all he could.
Ham and Aunt Martha were as delighted to
see the General as were any of his family. We
all tried to be cheerful and in good spirits, but
it was very hard to do this under the circum-
stances.
1.-THE next day after the General reached
home he inquired of Ham why he did not re-
turn to the army. Ham said:
L fuss done thought L would, and den I
knowed be no use, kase you SO far off, and l
feared | not jes safe gwine trough dem Sesh |
lines down dar; and den l knowed, too, dat |
you kin git as many niggers as you wants dat
am .jes' as good as Ham is ceptin when you
done wants good tings to eat sech like as |
Ham can alters get dem when dey
is round and skeered of the Sesh. 1 all de
time noticed dey is powerful feared OBJ de Sesh, |
Marsa Lyon. De General know dat am so.'
"'Well, Ham, you must be ready to go back
with me when l return
'Oh, yes, MarSa; oh, yes! go all right;
WILL sho' as you is bawn. But l tells you dat
NTarsa Peter am powerful bad, he am, sho'. l |
dream it all out las night Missus, she be right
in dat. He be agoin' dis time, and no mistake
Dat dream OBJ de Missus be all come round
"'That will do, Ham, you go and talk to
Aunt Martha about your Dreams
"'All right, Marsa, all right, sab; but you
mine what | tOle you
THE next day Joseph Dent came in, and we
had long conversation on the subject of the
war and the Golden Circle and Sons of Liberty.
He said that they were alarmed, and quite a
number had refused to meet recently, but that
the Grand Commander had issued a call for 4
meeting to be held in Canada some time soon,
where many of the leading men were again to
assemble and take into consideration some new
plan for aiding the rebellion. After he left for
home the General, Henry and l consulted as to
the best plan to get at what these men in Can
ada were working up. They had tried mobs
and riots in New York and other places had
tried releasing prisoners, burning and destroy
ing cities, scattering disease in our hospitals,
and army raids guerrilla warfare, etc, and had
failed in all. Now what next? We thought
that it would be best for Henry and Seraine to
return to Detroit; that Henry again should
visit Canada, and, by the same arrangement
that we had previously made, information could
be communicated to me. This being under
stood, they left the next day. James Whit
comb, having gone Immediately home on his
arrival at Allentown, would be with his parents
and Seraine while Henry should visit in Can