Following the Flag

battle of the war. It was disastrous to the Union army. But the people of the North were not disheartened by it. Their pride

d," when the arrival of a brigade of Rebels and the great mistake of Captain Barry, who sup

masters. They were not willing to acknowledge that the slaveholders were their masters. They felt that there could not be friendship and amity between themselves and a nation which had declared that slavery was its cornerstone. Besides all this, the slaveholders wanted Maryland, Kentucky, and Missouri in the Southern Confederacy, while

Mississippi, to see her safely among her friends. General Polk was com

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ldren of the South were so influenced by the system of slavery that they though

m, to raise children for the market,-to separate mothers from their babes, wives from their husbands,-to live solely for their own interests, happiness, and pleasure, without regard to the natu

came enthusiastic for continuing the war. Thousands of volunteers joined the Rebels already in arms. Before the summer

clearly that there was but one course to pursue,-to fight it ou

f the soldiers who fought at Manassas were three months' men. As their terms of service exp

conducting the war in Western Virginia, was called to Washington to organize

i and at Rich Mountain. He was known to be a good engineer. He had been a visitor to Russia during the Crimean war, and had written a book upon that war, which was published by Congress. He was a native of Pennsylvania and a resident of Ohio when the war broke out. The governors of both of those States sent him a commission a

otomac River, five thousand at Baltimore, twenty thousand at Washington, and three thousand at Fortress Monroe. One grand army for active operations was needed, to consist of two hundred and twenty-five thousand infantry, six hundred pieces of field artillery, twenty-five thousand cavalry, and seven thousand five hundred engineers, making a total of two hundred and seventy-thr

so energetic the government, that on the 1st of October, two months from the time that General McClellan took command, there were one hundred and sixty-eight thousand men in the Army of the Potomac, with two hundred and twenty pieces of artillery; besides this, t

ston, and General McClellan believed that he had one hundred and fifty thousand men. Strong fortifications were erected to defend Washington; General Johnston wished very much to take the city, and the people of the South expect

e the spires of the city of Washington, the white dome of the capitol, and its marble pillars. No doubt they longed to have it

the sunshine. A group of officers had gathered on the summit of the hill. With my field-glass, I could see what they were doing. They examined maps, looked towards Washington, and pointed out the position of the Union fortifications. There we

panorama of city and country, forest and field, hill and valley, land and water,-upon the ripened wheat on the hillside or the waving corn in the meadows,-upon the broad Potomac, gleaming in the sunshine, or upon the whit

ginia was a colony of Great Britain, had influence and power. He owned many slaves. He believed that the institution of slavery was right. He left the Union to serve Virginia, resigned his command as colonel of cavalry, which he held under the

or beef, or rice and molasses. In the afternoon there were regimental, brigade, and sometimes division drills,-the men carrying their knapsacks, canteens, haversacks, and blankets,-just as if they were on the march. At sunset each regiment had a dress parade. Then each soldier was expected to be in his best trim. In well-disciplined regiments, all wore white gloves when they appeared on dress parade. It was a fine sight,-the long line of men in blue, the ranks straight and even, each soldier doing his best. Marching proudly to the music of the band, the light of the setting sun falling aslant upon their

and read the newspapers or whatever they could find to interest them, with a bayonet stuck in the ground for a candle-stick. There were some who, at home, had attended the Sabbath school. Although in camp, they did not forget what they had left behind. The Bible was

the readings, and the prayer-meetings, all were brought to a close, the lights were put out

ing men. Many of them were leading citizens in the towns where they lived. They were well educated and were refined in their manners. They knew there was to be hard fighting and a desperate

bels evacuated Munson's Hill, to be reviewed by the President and General McClellan. There were seventy thousand men. It was a grand sight. Each regiment tried to outdo all others in its appearance and its marching. They moved by companies past the President, bands playing national airs

ot be postponed later than the 25th of November. The time passed rapidly. The roads were smooth and hard. The days were golden with sunshine, an

ine of railroad to Baltimore for all its supplies. It was very desirable that the Potomac should be opened. General Hooker, who commanded a division at Budd's Ferry, wished very much to attack the Rebels, with the aid of the navy, and capture the batterie