Year: 1861

about halfpast O'Clock, the streets were as de-
serted as if it had been midnight.


Before our troops disembarked, boat, filed
with armed marines, and carrying flag of truce,


mt off from the Pawnee, and landed ahead of us.
From the officer in charge we learned that the
Pawnce had already proposed terms of submis-
sion to the town. and that the Rebels had con.
seDted to yacate within q specified time. This
seemed to settle the question Of a contest in the
negative; but in the confusion of mastering and
forming the men, the intelligence was not well
understood, and received but little attention. In
deed / am quite sure that the Pawnee's officer
did not seek Col Ellsworth, TO communicate with
him, and that the Colonel only obtained meager
share Of information by seeking it directly from
the bearer of the flag Of truce himself. No
doubt this omission arose from the confused con-
diton in which affairs then stood. But it would
Lave caused no difference in the ColOrers mill
tary plans. No attack was nieditated, except in
case of fOrcible resistance to his progress. On
the other hand the idea of the place being under
q truce seemed to Danish every suspicion of 4
resistance either from multitodes or individuals


1t was just possibly this consideration that led
COL Ellsworth to forego the requisite personal
precautions, which, if taken, would have prevent
cd hIs unhappy death. But | am sure none Of
us at that time estimated the probability OF
the danger which afterward menaced us.
Perhaps the thought of actual blOodshed
aud death in war was too foreign to our expert
ences to be rightly weighed. But it certainly
did not enter cur minds. then, a. poor Els
wOrth's fate has since taught us it should have
done. that a town half walked, half terrified, and
under truce, could barbor any peril for us. so
the Colonel gave some rapid directions for the
interruption of the railway course by dsplacing
few rails near the depot, and then turned
toward the center of the town, 10 destroy the
means Of communication southwark by the tele
graph; a measure which he appeared to regard
as very seriously important. lie was accom-
panied by Mr.. II. i, Wnser, Military Secretary
to the Regiment, the Chaplain, the Rev. i. w.
guard 10 follow him, but he afterward turned
and called forward single squad, with Ser
geant from the first company. We passed
quickly through the streets, meeting few be-
wldered travellers issuing from the principal
hotel, which seemed to be slowly coming 10 its
daily senses, aud were about to turn toward the
telegraph Office, when the Colonel, first of all,
caught sight of the Secession nag which has so
long swung insolsnty in full view of the Presi-
dents House. He Immediately sent back the
Sergeant, with an order for the advance Of the
entire fret company, and, leaving the matter OF
the telegraph office for while, pushed on to
the hotel, which proved to be the Marshall
House, a secopd-class inn. On entering the
open door, the Colonel met man in bis
shirt and trowsers of whom he demanded
what sort of flag it was that hung
greatly alarmed, declared LIE knew nothing of it,
and that he was only bOarder there. Without
questioning him further the Colonel sprang up
stairs and we all followed to the topmost story


whence by means of ladder, be clambercd to
the roof cut down the flag with Winser's knife
and brought it from it's staff. There were two
men in bed in the garret whom we had not oh
served at all when we entered, their position
being somewhat concealed, but who now rose in
great apparent amazement, although ! observed
that they were more than half dressed. We at
once turned to descend, Private Brownell lead
ing the way, aud Colonel Ellsworth Immediately
following him with the flag. As BrOwnell
reached the first landing g-pace or entry, after q
descent of some dozen steps, man jumped from
dark passage, and hardly noticing the private,
leveled doube-barreled gun square at the Colo
nels breast. Brownell made a quick pass to
turn the weapon aside, but the fellows hand was
firm, aud he discharged one barrel straight to its
aim, the slugs or buckshot with which it was
loaded entering the COonels heart and killing
him at the instant. j think my arm was resting
on poor Ellsworths shoulder at the moment. AT
any rate, he seemed TO fall almost from my own
grasp. He was Oh the second or third etep
from the landing, aud he dropped forward with
that heavy horrible, headlong weight which al
ways comes of sudden death inflicted in this
manner. His assailant had turned like
q fash to give the contents of the other
barrel to Brownell, but either he could not com
mand his aim or the Zouave was too quick with
him, for the slugs went over his head, and passed
through the panels and wainscot of q door which
sheltered some sleeping lodegrs. simultaneously
with this second shot, and sounding like the
echo Of the first, Brownes rife was heard, and
the assassin staggered backward. He was hit
exactly in the middle of the face, and the wound,
as / aiterward saw it, was the most frightful
ever witnessed. OF course Br0wnel did lot
know how fatal bis shot had been, and 80 be-
fore the. man dropped, he thrust his saber
asonet through aud through the body, the force