Year: 1861

sword. 1t was the bold act of cool,
strong decisive brain, and in an instant it
stayed the Goth with an Iron hand, as it
were, and held it in mastery suspense
The next moment we were ordered to lie
down in double file, IN the wood overlook
ing the field of battle, with our faces and
muskets to the road, and in that position
keeping perfectly silent and collected, to
await further orders. For more than three
quarters Of an hour did The Regiment keep
its position without word from
the ranks-without a breath almost
whilst shot and shell, and every sort Of
hellish missile, swept and tore, whizzed
and Jared, smashed and plunged through
the trees all about and close to us, over.
head in hurtling and deafening showers, ON
either flank, in front and rear.


In the meantime the troop of United
States dragons that had been sent down
the hill to protect our battery, swept up
the roade back TO Centrevile at their top
most speed, and were quickly followed by
the battery itself-that commanded by
Captain Ayres-his ammunition having
given out. For three hours did this gal
liant officer keep his guns hot upon the
Southern batteries. For three hours did
he sustain the heroic regiments, which in
that deadly maze of forest relieved each
other, and, swept on every side by fercest
fire, held their footing against foe, which
visible nowhere, seemed to be thick as the
very leaves that sheltered them. For us
it was fightink in the dark. Worse than
this, it was fighting an enemy who had
full view and command of US, whilst we
bad to strike at random, not knowing for
a second even where he was. The battery
lost two men, and had its flag shorn to a
ribband with rifle shots. Captain Ayres'
Lieutenant was painfully wounded in the
in the foot. spoke to him as he quietly
rode back to camp, the wounded foot
dangling below the stirrup, stripped of its
boot, bandsged and bleeding freely.


Whilst we lay under tha. torrent and
hurricane of round>shot, spherical ball +,
she'll and canister, which rem. and split
the sturdiest trees all round, struck deep
into the earth, and narrowed it far and
wide, knocking over the Wisconsin men
who were drawn up in line across the rode
at right angles with the left of the Goth,
and shaving the ear clean off one Of our
own boys, whilst we patiently submitted TO
this bntcherly rain, Captain Haggerty
stood upon our extreme right contemplat
ing with undisguised satisfaction the per
feet GOODNESS and subordination of the men,
the Colonel taking it just as coo'ly in the
centre as though he had been debating
some unimportaDt order in his marquee at
Fort Corcoran, witha pitcher of ice water
close at hand. On the left of the Regi-
ment stood Paymaster Kehoe, Quarter
Master Tuly and one or two other officers
of the Staff, sniliugiy commenting upon
the perplexities and chances of our situa,
ton. In the meantime, the Surgeons,
Doctors Pascal Smith, Barron and Now.an
were to be seen at their post, few yards
in the wood above the left Of the Regiment
Father O'Reilly standing with them
the poor fellow who had lost his ear,moan
ing on mattrass in the rear of the ambu
lance his wound dressed and every comfort
possible at the moment given him-while
Adjutant McKeon, who had been all day
completely disabled by an attack Of gas
tric fever, was making the best of his way
down the road to take his share of what
yer, was going. In the meantime mere
over, Gen. Tyler, accompanied by bis Staff,
used now and then leisurely ride past oul
line, and palling up just about where poor
IIaggerty stood, bend in the saddle, raise
his field glass to bis eyes, pry into the rag
ing woods, and then, grinning very curl
| ously, as leisurely ride back. Colone
Sherman, too, used to take an observation
at moderate interyalas, and having satisfied
himself-used to ride back up to the road
a bit, grinning likewise, and apparently
giving way to private and exclusive
snarl. Between six and seven O'Clock,
General Mcdowell came upon the ground
with brilliant escort, including the young
and chivalruos soldier, Governor Sprague,
of Rhode Island, and he, comprehending
at glance the situation of affairs, the
sheer deadliness of the conflict and the
utter fatuity Of attacking the hidden enemy
in his lair, ordered the G9.h to return to
the hill overlooking the little village OF
Centreville, and their await further orders
which would be forthwith issued.


BEAUREGARD's RELIGIoN.-Gen. Beau
regard is Roman Catholic. 1t is said
that on the morning of the battle. nraver