and the din of clattering dishes was the order of things below, which, with the racing of the screw as it leaves the water when she pitched, and the grinding and yelling of the ship's timbers and bulkheads, and the howling of the wind, rendered it impossible to make one's self heard, unless you could crawl into your companion's ear and yell directly against his drum. This state of affairs lasted all of that day and a part of the next night; but, as the sun appeared, the gale broke; the sea went down rapidly, and by noon most of our people were on deck, a good deal discouraged as to their sea legs, but willing to make an effort. The next day or the day after-I do not recollect the length of the run-we sighted the Island of Cuba,. and in a short time were passing into the harbor of Havana, under the guns of Mora Castle, and came to anchor abreast of the custom-house steps. Hardly had the anchor touched the bottom before we were surrounded by shore boats, with profers of service or fruit for sale. Among these, pushing its way through the cordon of craft, came a handsome gig with a gentleman standing up in the stern, who hailed us in English, asking from whence we came and whither we were bound. After he had satisfied his curiosity, or perhaps his business errand, he told us that there was a report that Fort Sumpter had been fired on by the people of Charleston, South Carolina, but that the rumor was not believed. Nor surely did we believe it, as a struggle between the sections was something that we had not thought of-at least, neither I nor those with whom I was intimate had so thought-and the matter passed without much remark.

At first we were not permitted to land; but, as soon as it was discovered who we were, the Captain General of the

island sent a very kind invitation to the officers and their wives to visit him at the Palace, at the same time presenting us with the liberty of the city, and we responded in full uniform, being received very kindly; after which we strolled about, seeing the sights, listening to the music of the magnificent band, riding in the volantes, seeing the black negroes at Dominica's kneading the hot guava jelly, naked to their waists, the perspiration streaming into the mixture-since which time my wife has lost her taste for guava-and pitying the strings of galley-slaves, who shuffled along to their work, chained two and two, with stooped backs, and all of the hope gone out of their faces, and then back to the ship for supper, and a rest. And, as we went off in the boat, we saw, for the first time, the Confederate flag flying at the mast-head of a schooner; but, as the flag was not recognized by the Cuban government, they were not allowed to fly it at their gaff, nor had they been allowed to pass the Castle with it displayed as they came in, or, as far as I could find out, was any especial significance attached to it.

Here we laid for two days; and on the afternoon of the second day our convoy came in, saluted the Castle, and dropped her anchor near us, when we found that the norther that we had encountered had driven her far out of her course, and that she had been only now able to make her harbor. And now we were coaled, and, just before sundown, we got our anchor, passed through the narrow gate of the entrance, with the huge rock on which the fort was built frowning down upon us, one of our bands playing the national airs of Spain; and, when the sun dipped into the gulf for his evening bath, we had Mora Castle well astern, and were rolling along

in a most jolly sort of a way for the broad bosom of the Atlantic.

From here, the voyage was without incidents of especial interest, though most enjoyable, until we were boarded by the pilot, off Sandy Hook, and then a shell of news was dropped into our quiet camp, whose explosion brought with it the utmost consternation and sorrow. Never can I forget the effect that this story of the pilot had upon every one on board of the ship, fore and aft; nor can I expect to describe it in such a way as to take you back with me to that time, and place you at my side on the deck of that steamer. His news

was that Fort Sumpter had fallen to the guns of rebellious South Carolinians, and that fighting was now going on all over the country. This, of course, was exaggerated; but we did not know it, and thought it the truth. Recollect that we had come home perfectly ignorant of the true state of affairs, with no thought but that what was told us in Texas was true; not brought to the crisis gradually, as the people of the North had been, but shoved against it in all of its hideousness, without a moment's warning. The blow was stunning; and, as we got closer to the city, and boat after boat passed us loaded with troops and munitions of war, colors flying, bands filling the air with patriotic strains, soldiers rending the skies with their cheers as the boats passed or overtook each other, I saw men and officers clinging to each other and crying like children, until poor old Captain Whiting, of the Second Cavalry, tore himself away from his friend, drew the back of his hand impatiently across his eyes to clear his sight, and then, jumping on the rail and clinging to a back-stay, he called the men to attention, and sang out, "Now, men, give the old flag

three times three with a will, and take the time from me." And, with a wave of his hand and a hip! hip!! hip!!! such a yell, and such another, and then such another went up from that deck as I have never heard before or since-full of tears, full of rage, and, better than all, full of devotion to the dear old "gridiron."

And now the war had begun, and the time "before the war" had ceased, and, with it, my theme has come to an end, and I thank you, comrades, for your kind attention to the recital of my memories.

Read September 5, 1883.

THE CAMPAIGN OF SELMA.

BY LEWIS M. HOSEA,

Late Brevet Major U. S. A. (16th U. S. Infantry).

The cavalry operations of General Wilson in Alabama and Georgia, in the spring of 1865, were of greater consequence in precipitating the fall of the Confederacy than is generally understood. Conducted wholly within the Confederate lines, no knowledge of them reached the public ear at the North until the war had actually ceased, and, too, at a time when the national mind was shocked and bewildered by that series of momentous events culminating in the surrender of the Confederate armies and the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. It is, therefore, natural-indeed, it was inevitable-that the operations of a column, relatively small, in sections remote from the main theater of conflict, should be merged and ignored in events of such crowning magnitude; but the retrospective eye of history will yet single out the "Campaign of Selma" as an important element in turning the scale at a critical juncture, and influencing, to a large extent, the immediate overthrow of the rebellion.

This sketch deals only with the first stage of the movement, terminating with the fall of Selma, and is a hasty attempt to condense into brief limits what had been partially prepared on a more extended scale. I beg your indulgence for its imperfections.