Wichita eagle., 1888-05-27

as the guards naQ been CONSIDERED raIner
drawing room knights than true soldiers,
their reputation for valor was exaggerated.
But allowing for hyperbole, their conduct
was right gallant-they were not more than
one to three of the foe-and merited praise,
which as a chronicler Of events and as an
ardent Unionist, ] was eager to award l
had been particularly struck by what had
been told of young fellow-he was strangely
named Hakluyt Wordless-who had been
smoking pipe at the onset, and was still
pulling it at the outcome. Maj. Zagony
was enthusiastic at what he called his splen-
did courage
had just written a glowing account of
the body guard, and was leaving my tent
the correspondents were attached to head
quarters, and nominally on Fremont's staff
to post my letter, when boyish looking
youth, in the uniform of the guard, touched
his cap, and said, "You are The Tribune cor
respondent, 1 believe" replied affirma-
lively, when be mentioned his name and his
desire to make my acquaintance. told him
| had heard his name, and was proud to
know him, adding that had been trying to
do the body guard justice for the heroism
they had displayed. THAT was what
wanted to see you about" he remarked;
wbereupon I said jocularly, ''Your proves
shall not suffer at my hands You shall
hear what have written" read my letter,
perhaps with some satisfaction-I was yet in
my twenties-and he blushed Like girl when
1 spoke eulogisticaLy of him. Would you,"
inquired, ''like to add anything mores I
shall be happy to write it."
s'You are very kind; but you would oblige
have said about me- / do not deserve it, and
II did, would greatly prefer your silence"
could hardly believe him sincere; for I
had not found men in the army, or out Of it,
for matter of that, averss to praise. But he
soon convinced me of his earnestness, and
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 8
o'clock IN the morning, and felt, al parting,
rs if had known him all my Ife-a natural
feeling when one meets sympathetic spirit.
discovered him to be thoroughly educated,
classical scholar, acquainted with several
modern languages, traveller at home and
abroad; in brief, delightful companion.
But he was singularly reticent as to his ante
cedents and personality, and respected bis
reticence. He simplyStold me that he was an
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, ia the skirmish Of
the previous day, be had not had tipe to be
frightened; that no man could tell if he were
brave until he had frequently been tested
We were great deal in company until Ere
mont was relieved of his command, when the
bodyguard being dissolved Che had joined it
In st. Louis, he was mustered out The
army now fell back, and Hakluyt and /
separated, not for long, he declared, as SYM
pathetic natures were likely to be drawn to-
gether under any circumstances.
I 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. 1
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-a nearly blind from the recent
vi
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
I believed its capture at hand, in which
opinion he agreed He had gained the rank
of captain and was on the staff of one of the
generals, q position he enjoyed, he said,
since he could volunteer for any special en-
terpriss he might fancy. He had his duties
to perform, and | had mine; so we babe each
other good-by for the time. Inthe afternoon
/ was on the right, where the hottest strife
was raging, and an Iowa regiment was one
of the first to assault the eneIny's works and
gain position on the inside The next morn
ing Buckner surrendered with 1900 prison
ers, and as it was the earliest positive success
of the Union arms everybody was jubilant
Nearly exhausted, | went down the river
to Cairo, the boat filed with captured Con-
federate officers, and with difficulty wrote
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 Iowa regi-
ment and had led the van, winning univer-
sal admiration by his intrepidity. Men
had been shot down, al around him; bullets
had passed through hiscap and clothing, and
yet he was unhurt The color bearer having
been killed by the explosion Of shell, he
picked up the flag, and carried it until an