eleven hundred men, who chose him their colonel, and were mustered for three years.

It was at the head of this regiment that Colonel Ellsworth entered Alexandria at daylight of May 24th. The small force of rebels occupying the city escaped capture. Having seen the place securely occupied, and pickets posted to prevent surprise, Colonel Ellsworth remembered the rebel flag which for weeks had been flaunting an insulting defiance to the national capital. It was hoisted over the Marshall House, the principal hotel in Alexandria, and the colonel was seized with the whim to take it down with his own hands-a foolish fancy, perhaps, when considered in cool judgment, but very natural to the heated enthusiasm of those early days of burning patriotic ardor: He mounted to the roof with one or two companions, cut the halyards, and started down with the treasonable emblem on his arm. The stairs were narrow and winding, and they could only descend in single file-a soldier preceded and followed him. As he reached the third step above the landing on the second floor, a side door flew open, and the owner of the house, a man named Jackson, who had been lurking there in concealment, like a tiger for his prey, sprang out, and leveling a double-barreled shot-gun, discharged full into the colonel's breast the fatal charge, driving almost into his very heart a gold presentation badge, inscribed, "Non nobis, sed pro patria."

Ellsworth fell forward in death without a groan; but the murder did not go unavenged, for, in the same instant, his assassin also expired by the double effect of a musket charge and a bayonet-thrust from Ellsworth's foremost companion.

Ellsworth was buried with imposing honors from the famous east room of the executive mansion, the President, Cabinet, and high officers of the government attending as mourners; and as the telegraph filled the newspapers with details of the sad event, every household in the North felt as if the dark shadow of a funeral had lowered over its own hearthstone.

General Scott, commander-in-chief, was of the opinion that the government ought not to engage in any offensive military movements with the three months' troops, whose term of service was rapidly approaching the end. These operations should only be undertaken with the new armies of the three years' volunteers, after giving the summer to drill and preparation. Important reasons, partly military and partly political, conflicted with so deliberate a programme. The highly excited patriotism of the North, eager to wipe out national insult, was impatient of what seemed tedious delay. The echoes of the Sumter bombardment were yet in the air; the blood on the Baltimore paving-stones was crying loudly to heaven. It saw rebellion enthroned in the capital of Virginia; it saw a numerous Union army gathered at Washington; the newspapers raised the cry of "On to Richmond," and the popular heart beat in quick and well-nigh unanimous response to the slogan.

A detachment sent out from Fortress Monroe by General Butler had met a repulse at Great Bethel, and near Vienna Station, a railroad train conveying the Ohio troops had run into an ambush; both resulted in trifling losses, but they were irritating to the pride of the North, and the fires of patriotic resentment once more blazed up with fresh intensity. It is

no part of this paper to describe the battle of Bull Run. Time will not permit. Suffice it to say, that it was a drawn battle, with, owing to a combination of circumstances, the substantial fruits of victory remaining with the Confederates.

Perhaps, the result of this battle was all for the best, as the loyal North, for the first time, appreciated the magnitude of the task they had before them in conquering the rebellion. The country realized that something more than familiarity with the manual of arms, and company and battalion drill, and with books on the art of war, was required to make a good and effective soldier, and learned to be patient and to wait. The mission of the three months' volunteers was accomplished. The capital was saved. They were publicly thanked and mustered out; much the larger part of them re-enlisted for three years. Many fine soldiers graduated from the First and Second Ohio Regiments. The names of Generals Alexander McD. McCook, Wm. L. McMillen, Aug. C. Parry, Wm. H. Raynor, and Ben. D. Fearing; Colonels Len. A. Harris, E. A. Parrott, Anson G. McCook, John Kell, E. C. Mason, David King, Lewis Wilson, John Frazee, and O. C. Maxwell; Majors Parry, Vandegrift, Ostrander, Burton, Hampson, and Stafford; Captains Baldwin, Paddock, Thrall, Ensworth, Pease, Harrell, Saunders, Brand, and many others whose names I do not recall, are part of the military records of our country's history.

It is pleasant, now, after the lapse of so many years, to recall the events of nearly a quarter of a century ago, and to realize that, after so much blood and so many millions of treasure were spent, the great rebellion was conquered at last, and that we can with the poet say:

"The good ship Union's voyage is o'er'
At anchor safe she swings,

And loud and clear with cheer on cheer

Her joyous welcome rings:

Hurrah! Hurrah! it shakes the wave,

It thunders on the shore

One flag, one land, one heart, one hand,

One Nation evermore!"

Read October 1, 1884.

BUGLE BLASTS.

BY WILLIAM E. CRANE,

Late Captain Fourth O. V. C., A. A. Insp.-Gen., and A. A. Adj't-Gen.

To one who occupied a very small space in the War of the Rebellion-one who filled but a modest position among those who sought to protect the Nation's honor and life-it is a matter of difficulty, if not hazard, to attempt to enlighten, or even entertain, such a body as that to whom this paper is addressed. Certainly no attempt will be made, in this case, to enlighten. If any thing new is furnished, that shall also prove interesting, the end will be subserved. There are those among us, members of Ohio Commandery, who contributed largely to the grandeur, the magnificence, the glory of that army of the Union from which this order sprang. There are those among us who made pages, aye, chapters, of history where great deeds are emphasized in blood; deeds that "throbbed the Nation's heart." And this history is not for a day; not for our time alone. It will go on down the ages to be read by grandchildren and their grandchildren, who will point with pride to the illustrious achievements, and say: "These were my ancestors, who fought in that great war, and did these glorious things!" What richer legacy can you hand down? This is fame! not these come of honest ambition? But there are incidents, episodes, deeds, that come under the observation

This is glory! And do