The National tribune., 1892-07-28

-c@zy war opened, with al
least two score of Regu
lar officers he was stationed, at Fortress Mon.
roe, all eager for active service, Ayres espec.
tally, and it was probably the happiest day Of
al, his life when he was ordered to report fol
duty to Adj't- Gen. Townsend in Washington.
The famous Bragg's Battery was his longing
1t was his first love, it may be said, and his con-
slant prayer was that the cold battery" and
himself m ight be reunited. He had seen service
with it in former years. Especially when a
trife exhilerated by toast or two to the " old
battery" Ayres was eloquent about its exploits
and destiny, though they had been separated
for years. On such occasions he would exclaim:
The old battery 1t knows me as child
knows its father The horses all know me
The men know me! Every linchpin knows
nee, and know them all, and love them too !! "
The day that Ayres departed from Fortress
Monroe for Washington to report for duty was
one OF rejoicing among the officers and men of
the fort. The former and their families turned
out with the band to give him proper send off.
1t was an event, for the Regulars were slow in
getting to duty-for no fault of their own,
however. Ayres was tall in stature, and his
figure was truly military one. On that
occasion he was taller than evor-actualy
hardly less than six feet two. The belief that
he was to have the old battery" possessed
him, and he impaired it to his friends with
becoming emphasis.
l accompanied Ayres from Old Point to
Washington. There was an appropriate amount
and kind of hilarity as the time approached for
the Baltimore boat to leave the Fortress Mon
roe wharf. When the cheers on shore grew
faint as the boat rounded the lighthouse, Ayres
turned to me, and in tone and manner at once
serious and earnest said Come! let's do
appropriate honors to the OCCASION" and he
moved towards the bar. Leaning against it
Al
Ayres then-and drawing himself up to the
full hight of his spendd figure said "Pm
not quite 40 years old. Eve been in the
Army all the years could be. I've wife and
three children" Then drawing forth, the hand
which he had inserted into his pocket, he
slapped two and "a half dollar gold piece down
on the counter saying: That's all I've got to
show for it, except the order to report for duty,
which means the old battery. Let's drink to
the old battery!"
The boats passengers were interested listen
ers to Ayres's conversation-rather, speeches.
WAR;" exclaimed he. "It's the greatest of
all civiiZers-the true pioneer of progress and
the best of all the Outstanding agencies.
There is nothing on earth like war. 1t whips
mankind into shape whenever it gets wrong
and out of gear, and it is about to take hand
in the affairs of this country, and Pm going to
have my share at helping with the old battery
God bless her!"
In the morning on reaching Washington, we
went to Wizards. The hotel was complete
caravansary. Officers and men of every pro-
fession. all in some way interested in the pend
ing "On to Richmond movement, crowded
every inch of room. AS we were moving as
best we could towards the breakfast room,
Ayres said he felt sure that the "old battery"
would be his. He declared that the night be-
fore he had slept with it, that all the men and
all the horses knew him, and much more he
said, half OCULAR half seriously.
We parted to meet at the Same place at p.
m. Ayres was there. / knew it by his loud
proclamation so feet away: "Pve got her !!
The old battery ia mine" These words were
uttered in tone that attracted the attention
of the crowd present through which Ayres
moved his way, towering above all heads He
would have embraced me had not his outspread
arms closed above my head, while his body
nearly crushed me by its weight 1t was plain
enough that he had prosecuted an active cam
paign since morning. By the express wish of
Gen. Scott the battery was given to him.
Withdrawing to quiet place. Ayres said to
me: Thine has come to be serious. I've got
the battery, and hereafter work is to be the
order of the day. Important operations are in
the immediate future, and / will take part.
A great many foolish men are around here who
will know more than they do now in few
days."
He then told me of the impending Bull Run
movement. What he said about it, if repea' ed,
would elevate him not little as one Of the few
men who understood what was likely to attend
the On to Richmond" movement, which in
obedience to clamor was about to be under
taken.
The movement came, and Ayres with the
old battery" participated His account Of it
with which he interested company of friends
was as entertaining as any play. 1t fell to him
to cover the retreat, which was a rout, to
which 1 am persuaded no account has ever done
full justice. "Gong to the front" and tax
ing what came of it was no new thing to Ayres.
His men were seasoned in the service.
Congressman, gentlemen with ladies, poiti-
clans and others also went out with the idea of
going to picnic rather than BATTLE These,
mingled with fresh volunteers who had never
before smelt gunpOwder constituted the stam-
peded mass of humanity whom it fell to
Ayres to protect. His description transferred
to canvas would constitute panorama of sur
passing interest ct became necessary at
times" said Ayres, I" to let the crowd of Con-
gressmen and politicians, who came out for fun
and didn't find it, know that it was touch of
war, not the slightest approach to picnic"
AS for instance, Coming to a bridge Mt
which was jam of vehicles of all Sorts the
drivers and owners of which seemed to think it
was my work to protect from injury, it didn't
ehhS 'obE ~ to"Sh thciu thc SiioI ny oIucliuS
men to clear the horses and pitch the carriages
aside, while the occupants took care of them
selves as best they conlH. AIRY was raised that
the i Black Horse Cavalry was upon us. That
was what ] wanted and n osaw / would be
placed to see the fellows sure enough, there
they were, lowering in woods on my flank.
Ordering couple of gins'to be numbered
and shotted with grape waited until the fol-
lows were well punched, and then let them
have the grape. Any ofie VINO has been fishing
with worms for bait has noticed how they
squirmed when the lid ofJthe box was taken
off Well, that's the way the Black Horse fell
lows squirmed when they got the grape, and
heard no more of them. 1t was not long
After" continued Ayres, "that a volunteer
Colonel, who had never before smelt gunpow-
der, rode up, and in the widest and most con-
fused manner ordered mo to move my battery
to position, where had Idoneso the guns would
surely have been lost, as many others were.
looked at him in disgust, and signifed he
did not know what would be the consequences
of my doing SO. He expostulated, whereupoh
drew from my side pocket little volume
entitled, 'Napoleon's Rules and Maxms of the
Art of War; inviting him to take it home and
read it at his leisure. When he had done SO
he could come back and give me orders on occa
sions like the present. The fellow went off. l
never knew whether ho got Oh or not" Ayres
brought in his own guns, and two of the famous
Rhode Island battery's, for which he was per-
L. .<lz1