The National tribune., 1888-12-27

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which he acquired a knowledge Of the English
language. At the battle Of Big Bethel, Juns
10 1851, he saved the life OF Gen. Fitzpatrick,
and was promoted to Second Lieutenant for
gallGntry. Subsequently the 18th was Quarted
in Baltimore for some months on Fort Federal
Hill. When Mcclellan started on the expedi-
ti0n up the Peninsula the regiment was placed
in the Fifth Corps. Lieut. AguGs volunteered
to lead charge st Ashland Bridge and re-
ceived complimentary mention from Gen. q.
*. Warren. He was IN the dash at Hanover
Courthouse and the stOTming Of the hills &c
MechanicstOTn, near Richmond. June - ne
battle Of Gaines's Mil was fought, and Lieut..
Agnus was shot through the right shoulder &C
the close of the day. This wound disabled
him, causing the less Of the ShOUldeF-j0iut.
Whilst recovering, in Baltimore, from his
injuries, he received his commission as Captain
for gallant service in the field. In New York
he Joined in with officers in q successful effort
TO raise another ZOuave regiment The ranks
rapidly filed up with fine class Of recruits,
and the command was known as the 165sh n
Y, or I'd Duryea Zouaves. Capt. Agnus selected
the color company as his own, and the Tegi-
ment was ordered to Louisiana in the Fall Of
1862, where it garrisoHed New Orleans and
Baton Rouge. In the Spring of 1853 the siege
of Port Hudson was commenced by land and
water, and the 165th was repleted and assigned
to take part May y an unsuccessful ASSAULT
was made on the Confederate works. Capt.
Agnus was again wounded IN this engagement,
and was promoted TO Major. In the midst Of
the principal charge the Colonel and Lieuten-
ant-COlOnel were wounded, and Mai. Agnu5
took command Of the regiment. He shared in
all the=attacks On Port Hudson. Two divis-
ions, of 500 men each, had been detailed 10
lead the f0rlorn hope, and Maj. Agnus, with
~ picked men of his command, was placed at
the head of the first division. The assault was
rendered unnecessary by the surrender on the
day for which it had been fixed. After the
fall Of Vieksburg and Port Hudson the rsgi-
ment was sent to western Louisiana, where il
was engaged in constant skirmishss with the
Texas Rangers At Fayetteville, while check
ing a charge, Maj Agnus had hand-tO-hand
fight with a Texan hOrseman, and received q
severe saber cut on the wrist. He took part in
that unfortunate expedition 20 Sabine Pass,
Tex, and was placed in charge of the transports
POcahontas, an old Baltimore steamer. The
vessel was dispatched to the blOCkadIng fleet
of Galveston to carry information Of the dis
aster, and IN navigating an unlIghted coast
ran ashore. When morning d8Wned she was
found to be under the fire of the enemy's guns.
There were two batteries Of Regular artillery
on board. Mai. Agnus ordered the horses, 100
in number, to be thrown overheard and to
show his sense of duty, and by way Of example,
began by shooting his own, favorite animal.
Thus lightened, the transport was safely Heated
of. By this time the 165th had been sadly cut
to pieces, and the War Department was order
ing regiments with decimated ranks to be con-
sOlidated. Mai. Agnus, Jealous that the dis
/ tinctive title and number Of his command
/ should not be lost, determined 20 preserve it,
and that could only be done by filing up its
ranks. Obtaining leave of absence from Gen.
/ Banks, he went TO New York and induced Gov.
Seymour to assign TO the 165th four companies Of
/ recruits, completing the regiment. IN the mean
/ time the Nineteenth Corps had been ordered
+ to report to Gen. Grant, on the James River
/ Mai. Agnus rejoined his command with his
/ fresh men, and was made Lieutenant Colonel
When Early WAS raiding up the Valley, "a 1854
and threatening Washington, the Nineteenth
/ Corps was ass gEed 70 Sheridan, who was then
I forming an army ut Washington, for service IN
| rhe Valley They moved up TO M8uocaey,
/ Hagper's Ferry and Winchester, and the 165th
/ took prominent part in all the fighting Of the
I campaign, which broke the back Of the Con-
/ federate strength in the Valley. Lieut.-Col.
/ Agnus shared the peril5 and tTiumphs OF this
/ epoch, and was with his regiment at the bat
( ties of the Opequau, Fishers Hill, Winchester
and Cedar Creek. lie was 3 personal witness
I to q" Sheridans ride, on the eventual l9th OF
I October 1864, when Early drove in the Eighth
/ Corps, pierced the Nineteenth, and would have
I driven the whole army before him IN cOufu-
siOn had it not been fer the arrival of ShsFl-
dan and his rallying CT the troops. This ended
I the fighting in the Valley, and when sheridan
/ started with his cavalry 20 Join Grsnb IN front
/ of ha rrr=fr ted %
/ infantry regiment to guard the Confederate
/ prisoners at Fort Delaware. He paid the lo5th
the compliment Of choosing nc out Of all the
I army and it was accordingly detailed 20 that
duty Here Lieut.-Col. Agnus was made Colo
| mel of the regiment It remained at FOrs
| Delaware about three months, and was then
ordered to Savannah, Ca, whore Col. Agnus
received his brevet as BrigadiCr- General, he
being at the time but % years Of age. lie was
probably the youngestO Of his rank in the army.
| He was detailed as Inspect0r-G General, Depart
ment of the South, and was commissioned 70
dismantle the old Confederate forts IN south
Carolina, Georgia and Florida, and turn all the
property over to the Government On Aug.
p 1865, Gen. Agnus resigned his commission
and resumed civil life After the war he as
sumed charge of the business department OF
The Baltimore AHsTicGR. In that Fcspo0Slbla
position he has displayed an energy, tact and
good judgment that have been invaluable to
the proprietary of that journal. The erection
of its splendid new building was mainly due
to his efforts, and the paper has thriven under
his management Dec. Is, 1854, Gen. Agnus
was married 70 Miss Annie E., daughter Of Mt.
Charles G. Fulton, senior proprietor OF Iae
Baltimore AAsrican. Mr. Fulton died IN 1855,
and, by deed of trust, made Gen. Agnus sole
trustee and publisher. Few men OF his aga
can furnish such record as Cen. Agnns, as >
traveller. embracing in his journeys the entire
circuit of the world as q brave soldier and
officer, engaged in many conflicts and receiving
honorable wounds in the service Of his adopted
country, OF as the publisher Of the leading
| newspaper south of New York.
Gen. Agnus is as popular among the exon
federates of Maryland as he is among cur own
veterans, and is the first to contribute 50 al
t charities, whether they be for the GAR. OF
ex-COn fedeFates.
The donation Of the Pikesyills Arsenal ~
the State, as a Home for ex-COnfedeFstes, VA
strongly Endorsed by him, and his services -
securing the passage Of the bill through ths
Legislature were recognized by the ex-COnsea'