The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1888-06-01
they could do this, most of them were oblige,

they could do this, most of them were Obliged
20 disrnount-a few leaped the fence-and let
down the rails. This they accomplished very
quickly, and firing their carbines at the
shadowy figures. rushed upon them with
drawn swords, and drove them pell nell like
nock OF Sheep The guerrillas, who had no
regular organization, were dismayed at the
unlocked for assault, and escaped in the dark
hess Inc whole action was over in five min
utes, but its echo lasted for weeks. ANY
sklrmlsh seemed battle in thosc days, and
as the guards had been considered rather
drawing room knights than true soldiers,
Ineir reputation for va)or was exaggerated.
But allowing for hyperbole, their conduct
was right gallant-they were not more than
one to three of the foe-ard merited praise,
winch as chronicler of events and as an
ardent Unionist, was eager to award. I
had been particularly struck by what 1 had
been told of ayoung felow-he was strangely
named Halluyt Wordless-who had been
smoking Il pipe ut the onset, and was still
putting it at the outcome. Mai. Zaeonyi
was enthusiastic at what he called his splen-
did courage
| had just written glowing account of
the body guard, and was leaving my tent
the correspondents were attached to head
quarters, and nominally on Fremonts staff.
TO post my letter, when q boyish looking
youth, in the uniform of the guard, touched
his cap, and said, "You are The Tribune cor
respondent, | believe" l replied a1Ilrma-
lively, when he mentioned hisname and his
desire to make my acquaintance. told him
had heard his name and was proud to
;ro tl,n+T T b,,J
do the body guard justice for tho heroism
they had displayed. "That was what 1
wanted to see you about" he remarked:
whereupon said jocularly, ''Your proves
shall not suffer at my hands. You shall
hear what have written" read my letter.
perhaps with some satsfaction-I was vet in
my twenties-and he blushed like Il girl when
spoke eulogistically of him. ''Would you,n
Inquired, "like to add anything mores I
shall be happy to write it,"
"9oa are very kind; but you would obliee
me exceedingly if you would erase what you
have said about me- do not deserve it, and
II did, woaid greatly prefer your silence.n
coald hardly believe him sincere; for
had rot found men in the army or out of it,
for matter of that, aversc to praise. But he
soon convinced me of his earnestness, and I
reluctantly Cancelled the personal reference
to him. That was the beginning of our in
timacy. He impressed me most favorably
from the start. We talked together till 3
O'Clock III the morning, and felt, at parting,
as II l had known him all my lifc--a natural
teellnS when one meets Il sympathetic spirit
discovered him to be thoroughly educated,
classical scholar, acquainted with several
modern languages, a traveller ut home and
abroad; i'll brief, a delightful companion.
But he was singularly reticent as to his ante.
cedents and personality, and respected his
reticence. He simply told me that he was all
American for six generations, New Yorker,
% years old Che looked much younger) and
an intense lover of his country. When
mentioned his courage, he said he had not
really displayed any; that, in the skilmish of
the previous day, he had not had time 10 be
frightened; that no man could tell if he were
brave until he had frequently been tested.
We were q great deal in company until Fire
mont was relieved Of his command when the
bodyguard being dissolved the had joined it
i'll ST. Louis, he was mustered out. The
army now fell back, and Halluyt and l
separated, not for long, he declared as SYM
pathetic natures We're likely to be drawn to-
gether under any circumstances
l went to Kentucky to observe military
operations, and after the battle of Mill
Spring started With Grant up the Tennessee.
Fort Henry had been taken mainly by the
gunboats, and then the land forces marched
across the bit of land that separated the Ten
nessee and Cumberland rivers, expecting to
reduce Fort Donelson before breakfast
was trudging over the snow covered field on
the third days fighting, half starved, half
frozen-we had no tents and were short of
provisions-and nearly blind from the recent
explosion OF q case of cartridges at the land
ing-one of them having struck my eye
when l suddenly encountered Hakluyt on
horseback. Our meeting was joyous. He
wanted to do something for me; but told
him could hold out, if the fort did not, and
believed its capture at hand, III which
opinion he agreed. He had gained the rank
of captain and was on the staff of one of the
generals, position he enjoyed, lie said,
since he could volunteer for any special Ell
terprise he might fancy. Ie had his duties
to perform, and | had mine; SO we babe each
other good-by for the time. lii the afternoon
was on the right where the hottest strife
was raging, and an Iowa regiment was one
of the first to assault tine enemy's works and
gain position on the inside Thencxt mo. H.
ing Bucllner surrendered with $4,000 prison.
ers, and as it was the earliest positive success
OF the Union arms everybody was jutilant.
Nearly exhausted, went down tic river
to Cairo, the boat filed with captured Con
federate officers, and with difficulty wroto
up my account, being scarcely able to see.
Wordless was my companion, and | went to
St Louis to recruit, where he had been sent
on special business.
| had learned meanwhile, that he had
volunteered as private in the lowe regi-
ment, and had led the van, winning univer-
sal admiration by his intrepi,l:ty Men
had been shot down, all around him; bullets
had passed through his cap and clothing, and
yet he was unhurt. The color bearer having
been killed by the explosion of SHE'LL he
picked up tho flag, and carried it until an
Il