The National tribune., 1901-07-18

head with a large ybandarna, plaintively
said, 'tThere it is; a half hour ago it was
Lieutenant, and uow it's plain, plain
Tomr' 1t seemed that his commission had
been revoked on account of his inability
to execute the doublequick.
EN- ROUTE TO WASHINGTON.
On the morning of Jans "a, 1861, we
embarked on the Ben de Ford, Pembroke,
and Cambridge, three large Government
transports, and in the presence of an
| immense assemblaEe took our departure
from Long Island for the City of Wash
ington. On the third day of the passage
considerable excitement was manifested,
from the fact that it was expected we
should be shelled passing the coast of
! Virginia, at place called Matthias Point,
where, it was authoritively stated, the
rebels had planted masked battery, with
which to render unnayigable the waters
of the Potomac
The excitement was increased by the
commander of the Quaker City, United
States man-of-war, cruising the Potomac,
which had hailed us on the evening of the
second day, instructing US to keep a sharp
lookout, as, no doubt, we should be at
tackled passing this point. The only arma-
ment aboard the transports was three
brass swivel guns of light caliber, of
which each vessel had one. An under
standing was also had between Col. Cass
and the commander of the Ben de Ford,
that, if attacked, he (Cass) would man
the boats and storm the batteries, if they
opened fire, under the protection of the
guns of the transports Upon approaching
the point, the eyes of every officer were
bent upon the land with looks of eager
expectation, and more than one heart
anXiously longed to hear the guns of the
battery, that they might have the pleas
ure of silencing them.
The men had, upon nearing the point,
been ordered below, so that the decks
were clear for action, and if swept by
the enemy's fire, little damage could be
done them. The Colonel and his officers,
with the commanders of the boats, alone
remained on the decks. The guns were
shotted, and the vessels proceeded proudly
on their way, and arrived in a short time
opposite the Point. Not sound was
heard; not a movement indicated the po-
sition where the battery was concealed.
In few minutes the vessel had passed
the Point and no demonstration had been
made. 1t is impossible to say what would
have been the result if the battery had
opened fire upon us. That an attempt to
storm it would have been made we feel
quite certain; but experience has since
shown us that it might have been q very
disastrous undertaking; for, from the ma
ture of the embankment, it would be next
~ IliIDSSIDlt 10 anu IL DuSkeITY IRE
had been used against us, the consequences
would have been fearful. After we had
passed the fabled monster, and cleared q
sufficient interval, the little brass gun of
the Ben de Ford blaZed forth an indignant
challenge, the Captain feeling that the Sc
curity of his position warranted that token
of his contempt.
Nothing of interest transpired during
the rest of the voyage, except that we
1pCf m fallnyy Gar.
land, for whom we all were sincerely
sorry; he fell overheard, and though every
effort was made to save him, the darkness
of the night rendered our endeayors to
help and save fruitless.
The accommodation on board the trans
ports was of the first order; and though
we should have preferred to 60 by rail,
still, everything considered, the method of
transportation was eminently successful
and satisfactory.
On the afternoon of June 90 the trans
ports arrived at the Arsenal Wharf at
Washington, when the troops disembarked,
making their quarters temporarily in the
Arsenal yard. Here we lay in our blan-
kets until the morning of the Both of
June, when. after dispatching our break
fast, we took up our line of march for the
pleasant locality of Emmart's farm, about
three miles outside of the City of Wash
ington, where we arrived the same day,
and at once pitched our camp.
Emmart's farm proved, eventually, n
very excellent place; the mutual under
standing between all parties increased,
and soon we had a continuation of the
genial reunions so auspiciously begun at
Long Island. f
CAPT. MADIGAN's DOG.
A number of comical incidents trans
pired here, one of which L cannot re-
call without smile.
We have stated that Col. Cass was a
rigid disciplinarian. This, in truth, he
was; so much so, that an officer could not
sleep a moment after 'reveille" without
a visit from the Colonel, and a gentle re-
minder that it was time to be up.
One morning. about 5 o'clock, the
writer, while in silent and close communi-
cation with Morpheus, was roughly shaken
from his slumbers, and sharp voice
you're pretty fellow; isn't it time for
you to be up" l turned over, and beheld
the grim Colonel of the regiment and
Lieut.-Col. Rowell standing solemnly by
the bedside, and looking grave as the
tomb. "All right, Colonel" said L; 'Pll
get up in a few moments" See that
you do so;" said he, and then he took his
departure. Now 1 should have entered
into another arrangement with the mytho |
logical god, but that l thought it my duty
to warn my comrades of the Colonel's
presence; therefore, | sprang from my
couch, consisting of blankets and rails, |
donned my Clothes and passed outside my
tent. AS | did so L glanced up the tented |
street, and, to my astonishment, beheld |
the Colonel hopping about in the strangest |
and cutting up the queerest kind |
of antics, none of which have ever seen |
set down in the military books. | went |
to the rear of one of the tents, to see more |
clearly what the Colonel was doing, and |
found he was {, arcising himself in front |
of Capt. Madigan's tent.
1t was comical scene. The Colonel |
would cautiously approach the door of the |
tent, and then spring hastily back, while |
the Lieutenant Colonel stood by convulsed |
with laughter. This maneuyer he exc
cuted several times with eminent success, |
until at last he cried out, Capt. Madigan, |
Capt Madiganw He called several times, |
but the Captain did not respond. Il |
think he's up and out" said Rowell Cass |
paused for a moment, and then, mutter- |
ing anathemas under his BREATH strobe |
hastily away. L then moved cautiously |
toward the tent, to ascertain the cause of |
the Colonel's excitement, and there | be- |
held Madigans great bulldog, which he
had brought from Boston, tied to the tent |
pole, and growing savagely.
The dog and l were old friends. /
patted him on the head, and looked into |
the tent, and beheld the jolly Captain zen |
deshabille," sitting on stool, shaking |
with laughter. He had witnessed the |
Colonei's vain attempt to pass the savage |