J^^Y /2'?y FROM SHILOH TO CORINTH, A STENOGRAPH REPORT OF AFTER-LUNCH SPEECHES AT THE STATED MEETING OF THE COMMAND ERY OF OHIO MILITARY ORDER OF THE LOYAL LEGION UNITED STATES, February 7, li 'Q. 2. (I)ilitary Order of the Loyal Legioii of tteQnM States. HEADQUARTERS COMMANDERY OF THE STATE OF OHIO. The historical paper read at the stated meeting of this Coniniandorv, held at these headquarters, on AVednesday evening, February 7, 1894, was on the Battle of Corinth, written for the Conimandery of Ohio, by Brevet INIajor-General D. S. Stanley, U. S. A. This paper will api)ear in volume 4 of the Commandery's series of "Sketches of War History." The routine business of the meeting having been transacted and the his- torical paper read, the Companions proceeded to the Commandcry dining- room, where lunch was promptly served. The subject for after-lunch addresses was "From Shiloh to Corinth." By a fortunate circumstance, Brevet Major-Gcnoral Alexander Mc- Dowell McCook, U. S. A., being en route from Washington City to his command — the Department of Colorado — arrived in Cincinnati on the day of our meeting, and was present as the guest of the Comniandory. In the al)sence of our Commander, Brevet Brigadier-General Benja- min Harrison, the Senior Vice-Commander, Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel E. C. Dawes, presided. The regular music for the evening was provided, as usual, by the Ohio Commandcry Quartette, under the direction of Companion Max Mosler, with Prof. A. J. Boex as piano accompanist, and the Avon Man- dolin Club. The following pages contain a stenograph report of the after-lunch speeches of the evening. A diligent search failed to find that T. Buchanan Read's song, "The Flag of the Constellation," which w'as sung by General McCook, had ever been printed with music. It is here printed with the music to which Mr. lioad sang it, ))robably for the first time, and should be sung with special ciiiphasis on the sentiment it contains. ROr.ERT HUNTER, Captain U. S. V., Recorder. Cincinnati, .Varrli 10, IslM. riTTSBUKG LANDING, TENNESSEE. [From a photograph taken in April, 1S62, a few days after the battle.] Shiloh Church is about 2^2 miles, a little south of west, from the landing. The steamer furthest up the stream is the Universe, dispatched by the Cincinnati Branch of the Sanitary Commission with stores for the wounded; the next steamer, the Tigress, was General Grant's headquarter.s' boat. On the opposite or east shore [is] the gun-boat Tijler. FROM SllILOH TO CORINTH. The Senior Vice-Commander — The subject for discussion to-night is the campaigns from Shiloh to Corinth and about Corinth, in which many of our Companions were en- gaged. By a happy accident, we have with us the commander of the division which, at the battle of Sliiloh, delivered to the Confederate array the final blow which .sent it, defeated and disheartened, back whence it came. His well-earned commission, as major-general of volunteers, was given to him for " gallant conduct and distinguished services in the battle of Shiloh and the siege of Corinth." Companions, rise to your feet and drink — long life, health, prosperity, and new honors to our guest of the evening, the prodigal son of the Ohio Commandery, that brave old sol- dier, General Alexander McDowell McCook. General McCook : — Commander and Companions of the Ofiio Commandery of the Loyal Legion: — I feel complimented for the warm welcome given me this evening; my nature always revolts when I am called upon to make a speech ; therefore, you must accept what I say in conversa- tional style. A man must be low in spirit and weak in mind, if he could not say something to-niglit to the Companions of the great State of Ohio. I have been introduced as a prodigal son of this Commandery. My explanation is, if one be needed, that the majority of the Commandery of the State of Kansas desired that I transfer to that Commandery for a missionary purpose. 1 did so, and upon that basis I was made their Commander. Being a young organization, they were desirous to liave an officer of the regular army at their head ; especially one who had held high rank in tlie volunteer service during the war. One thing I will state here — next to God and my country, I love the State of Ohio. I have great reason to be proud of the state of n)y birth, and, when the rust is worn away and the brightness of rest comes, the prodigal will return with repentance. I know there are many Companions belonging here who are not na- tives of Ohio — we have adopted them, and are proud of them for their citizenship and membership in this Order. As to the native born, I am sure you all regret that you were not born like me, upon the knobs and under the classic shades of Yaller creek. My professional duties in the past have required me to travel from the Atlantic to the Pacific; from the Lakes to the Mexican Gulf — meet- ing all classes of people, and frequent inquiry has been made of me, how it happened that Ohio produced so many great commanders during the period of 1861 to 1865, and furnished so many men who stand to the fore front in the cabinet, in the judiciary, and among the leaders in statesmanship. The answer was : Ohio and its people could not help it; it was an accident of settlement. The counties once known as the West- ern Reserve were settled by the Puritans. The next counties to the southward were peopled by the Scotch-Irish. The center tiers of counties were occupied by the cavaliers who came from Jamestown. Not believing in human slavery, they moved over the Oiiio river; entering the North-west Territory, they sought their homes and fortunes there. The southern portion of the state was pioneered by a like people. The Rhode Island colony located themselves at Marietta. The in- fluences of that settlement are known to all of you. Kentucky is the child of Virginia as to settleuient, and many of her people found homes north of the Ohio river. There were also many Germans who sought and found homes in this rich and fertile state. History teaches us that these were the people who have held the lead in all that was grand and worth living for. Their battle-cry was : Freedom of thought, freedom of religion, freedom of government, with equality before the law as vital and living principles, and liberty as the cap-sheaf for all. The intermingling of these strong, vigorous, and virtuous people produced the men that were of suitable age in 1861 to take the lead in all that was ueedful for tlie preservation of our Union of States, and the perpetuation of religious and political freedom. It was my fortune to graduate from the Military Academy in June, 1852. There were seven of us from Ohio iu that class. For a slight slip of discipline, Sheridan was suspended a year. The seven were : Sheridan, Crook, Stanley, Kautz, McCook, Chas. R. Woods, and John Nugent. Nugent died at Fort Stilicom, Washington Territory, before the war. All of the others obtained the rank of major-general of volun- teers, and five of us have reached the honorable position of general officer in tlie regular army — a phenomenal record from one class of the Military Academy, and from one state, even though that state be our beloved Ohio. Speaking of our Order, the Military Order of the Loyal Legiou of the United States, I do not believe there is an association in the world, unless it be the Grand Army of the Republic, that can equal it in disin- terested usefulness, patriotism, and in good will toward the people of this country. Patriotic enthusiasm is as necessary to-day as it was inl861-65. These sentiments should be properly understood and enjoyed throughout the length and breadth of the land. In these times of peace, we should do all we can in an honorable way to accumulate wealth sufficient to surround our homes with comfort. This is right and the duty of all ; but I pray you do not let the thirst for gain, or the accunmlation of wealth, deaden your love for that dear old flag for which we have fought. As certain as j'ou do, the money will prove to be vulgar money, and the possessor will prove unworthy of his accumu- lated wealth. Let the Loyal Legion keep on its course, and in God's own time — " The hearts that are true to their country and God Will meet at the last reveille, my boys." The Senior Vice-Commander — In the paper of General Stanley that was read to-night is a reference to a «tafF officer as a perennial source of orif^inal information. We have a number of gentlemen of the staff with us. Let me ask one of them what military lessons, if any, were taught to the army by General Hal- leck (luring the advance to Corinth. Colonel Cornelius Cadle, you have the floor. Colonel Cadle — In moving eighteen miles in thirty-five days, from Shiloh battle field to Corinth, we threw up works every few hundred yards and occupied seven strongly intrenched camps. During the last week of the cam- paign, when every body except headquarters knew that Beauregard was getting out of Corinth as rapidly as possible, we did the most work in in- trencliing, and preparations were made, on the day before we marched peacefully into Corinth, to repel an expected assault all along our line. In this movement we tlirew up a large amount of dirt. Since then, about an equal amount has been thrown at General Halleck on account of his conduct of that campaign. I appear for the defense, and am glad to have an opportunity to say a word in General Halleck's favor. I have never read his translation of "Jomini's Art of War," but I have no doubt in that abstruse work the rule is laid down, that in an enemy's country, no matter how far distant the enemy may be, an army should always intrencli its camp. General Halleck " builded better than he knew," and for what he did in that siege, or rather, for what he made us do in the line of dig- ging, he is entitled to our thanks and those of the country. He taught us the benefit of earthworks and how to make them, and the potentiality of the work that then seemed, and probably was to a large extent, un- necessary, was stored up in us for our future benefit. What we learned then we pnt in practical use when most needed, at Vicksburg, Chatta- nooga, and Atlanta. When, after Corinth, our army went into position in front of the enemy, it always protected itself with fence-rails, logs, and dirt, without the intervention or assistance of orders or engineers. So, while we may laugh at the futility of most of the work done during that campaign, we must acknowledge the benefit of the lesson taught us. 6 The Senior YrcE-CoMMANDER — General Stanley in his paper pays a glowing tribute to the Sixty-third Ohio regiment, which, at the battle of Corinth, after losing half its men and two-thirds of its officers, closed on its colors and remained in action until its front was cleared. In the left wing of the regiment, one officer alone remained unhurt and he was saved to suffer on another field. He was theu a captain ; he is now our honored member, General Charles E.^ Brown, from whom we will all be glad to hear. General Brown — Commander and Companions : — The paper which I heard read to-night in your presence has called up such vivid pictures, I might say living pictures of the scenes of thirty years ago, that I have little in my mind to-night other than that which pertained to our gnll'ant Commander Stanley and the action at Corinth on the 4th of October, 1862, and I do not know that I can add any thing to them of interest that has not been given in that paper. But, as I was there upon the field, I might possibly go into some little details not given by him. It so happened that I was at that time the senior captain of my regiment, the Sixty- third Ohio, the next in rank to Colonel Sprague, who has so recently passed from us; we had been upou duty two nights and two days; we were fatigued and worn out, and yet, on the evening of the 3d of October, two companies w'ere detailed. 1 was placed in command of them and sent out on the Chewalla road to watch throughout night. We were there under an intense feeling of anticipation, knowing the responsibili- ties resting upon us, the dangers before us, and the possibilities of the tremendous results of the morrow ; we watched silently and carefully ; along toward the morning we heard the Confederates planting their bat- teries on our front; we knew what was going on and remained quiet. I had a platoon drawn up across the road about four o'clock in the morn- ing, it being intensely dark. I could hear and finally see that there were two men riding out from the batteries to where we were drawn up across the road, it being so very dark they could not see us until they came so close it was impossible to retreat. They deiiianded to know what troops were there. In reply I said, come in and we will introduce you ; with that they came in, and we had Captain Tobin and his bugler. The cap- tain was in command of a battery from Memphis, and was a surprised and disgusted man ; we sent him to the rear. We went- back to^lhe regiment, and then the battle. This is the one battle I can see in my dreams, because it was to me, and to the Sixty-third Ohio, I might say. the great battle of tlie war. I can look out now and see those advancing columns of infantry, three, four, five, six, seven, and eight deep; I can remember the yell with which they started, a yell which can not be ascribed to either gods, devils, or men, and once heard can never be for- gotten, and how they charged. It looked as though nothing could save us ; then it was that a silent prayer of patriotic men went up to the God of heaven to help us in thai battle, and He did help us. On they came, not only once, but, again and again, and I can say, braver men I never saw ; they came to the very mouths of the cannon, and when the day had gone, the trenches in front of battery Robinette were literally filled with the dead, among whom were General Rogers, Colonel Moore, and a Chaplain who commanded a regiment.* I have a photograph taken on tiie follow- ing day which shows the situation at that time. Wearied and worn, we lay upon the battle field that night ; we were exhausted and we slept soundly. It was all wrong for criticisms to be made by any one against General Rosecrans for not following the enemy at once. It was utterly impossible for that command to have moved rapidly tliat night or even the next morning. They were brave men, and could do any thing that was possible for men to do ; more than that could not be expected of them. The next day we were started to follow up the retreating army of Price and Van Dorn. Colonel Sprague was in command of a brigade, and I in command of the Sixty-third Ohio regiment. I remember that the boys hunted around and found a little mustang, upon which I was mounted, and, with the survivors, about enough for two companies of the noble regiment of which more than fifty per cent had been stricken down, we started out to follow the repulsed Confederates. But I have no desire nor time to go into other details. We had noble commanders. There was a mutual confidence between the men and officers, and tlie natural results of that confidence were good service. I remember a short time afterward, as showing our love for Stanley, our brigade thought it befit- ting to offer him a kindly testimonial, a horse, equipage, and field glass, and I was chosen to make the presentation address. I remember in my little speech at that time of just a few words that have been suggested to me to-night. I remember these tl.ings among others; I said then, in talking to the boys : When this great contest is over, when triumph and peace rest upon our banners, when the right shall have been main- tained, when joy and gladness shall have returned to our land, when Ohio, * All the other commissioned officers of the regiment had been killed or disabled. 8 our own Ohio, shall be asked of what she has to be proud, may she point to her Rosecrans, her McCooks, and her Stanley, and exclaim in tlie true and emphatic language of the Mother of the Gracci, " these are my jewels." I have but one other thought to-night before closing my remarks — we have the pride of having done our duty ; we have helped solve some of the great problems of civilization, and I think successfully and finally. But there will be in the coming history of this nation still other great and important problems to solve, and it must rest upon tlie rising gen- eration ; these young men here, our sous, to take our place in that work ; and it is a part of our duty to educate them in this, and to bring thera here, every one. I had a noble boy, the pride and ambition of my life, whom I hoped to bring into this Order, and here teach him patriotism and duty, and when a few months ago I laid the dead body of that dar- ling boy in Spring Grove, I felt that my heart was broken ; but I have another and younger son, whom I shall bring here, if you will accept him and ask him to abide with you, learn with you, and go forward with you in fighting the great patriotic, moral and intellectual battles of our common country. The Senior Vice-Commander — At the time General Beauregard's army evacuated Corinth there was much discussion as to who was the first Union soldier to enter the Con- federate works. There were many claimants for the honor, such as it was, but the real hero was not then discovered. I know, however, who he was, and I am now going to tell his name. He was an Ohio soldier, of course. He survived the war. He belongs to this Comraandery. He is present to-night. Dr. William R. Thrall, rise in your place and tell how it happened that you entered Corinth, the advance guard of the great army. Dr. Thrall — Commander and Companions : — I presume the Commander is al- luding to a visit I made in Corinth a little prematurely; nevertheless, as I look back, I remember there were events there of some interest to me. The campaign which has been alluded to in the paper to-night, should have had for its title, "Tishomingo County, Mississippi, and the Scenes Therein Enacted." Perhaps in the history of the war there is no piece of territory upon which were enacted more magnificent specimens of heroism, of greater sufferings in war, or where the strength of patriot- 9 i.siii lias been l)roiight to a more severe test, tliaii tliat which took place in Tislioiniii(,'o county, Mississipj)!. The battle of Shiloh was i'ollowed by almost daily skirmishes up to the final evacuation of Corinth, including the battle of Farraington, which was an armed reconnoissauce of 10,000 men under General Pope sent to ascertain the exact position of the enemy, with instructions to not bring on a general engagement, and to leave no dead or wounded . on the field. It was in this expedition that I made the unsought acquaint- -ance of the First Missouri Confederate Infantry. The instructions in regard to the movement of our ambulances were to keep in the rear of the line, so that in case of need we would be close at hand, and would not be left unprotected. It was a pretty difficult thing to engineer a number of ambulances along the rear of a battle-line; iaeside there were no roads, but plenty of gullies and swamp lands to cross, consequently we had to feel our way around in the rear; and while ey ran into what seemed to be absolute and certain destruction. If Davies' line had been ordered to withdraw as it did, the result could not have been better. It drew the enemy in between two converging fires, in low ground, swept by Rosecrans' entire infantry and artillery forces. No living organization could have survived in that situ- ation. The ground was covered with dead and dying. Such a slaughter I never saw, except at a little spot on the battle field of Atlanta. Of the Confederate troops who penetrated into Corinth, few escaped alive. I think that the feeling to which I refer has considerably died out. I know that every soldier who fouglit through the war, and who looks back to the experience of the troops at that time, sees clearly that there was no panic, there was no cowardice, there was nothing that could have justly caused such feeling as existed between Rosecrans and Davies at that time. Both of these men were excited with the responsibilities of the situation. Rosecrans felt the desperate straits f dlowing what he for the moment felt was the ignominy of defeat in the center of his line of bat- tle, and, I iiave no doubt, felt that his time of service was about to end. He happened to be at that point, and doubtless felt that all was lost. That he should be, in the midst of such a scene as that, excitable and harsh, and that he should do and say tilings f>r wliich he should after- ward make amends, is not at all unnatural. One thing to be considered in passing judgment upon the conduct of Davies' division on that day is that it had been engaged almost the whole of the preceding day in lierce battle. The men had been loused at day- light, and had marched out some three miles or more to meet the enemy. The division numbered but three thousand men, yet it undertook to cover 14 a line immeasurably beyond its capacity. It met and checked during the day, in five lines of battle, almost the entire rebel army, and finally, under the guns of battery Robinette, late in the afternoon, it met an at- tack by the enemy vastly outnumbering its reduced condition, and, I am glad to say, drove him from the field iu as gallant a charge as was ever made. I shall never forget the scene at that time, when General R, J. Oglesby, our brigade commander, was wounded. Early in the day, when his little attenuated line had been overwhelmed by an overpower- ing force of the enemy, and had been compelled to retire. General Oglesby was the most completely discouraged man I ever saw. He did not appear to have realized that his little brigade would have been anni- hilated by the vastly superior force of the enemy if it had held its place. He only seemed to feel that there was disgrace in the discretion which prevented capture. He had been a politician and was a good orator. When his troops had been gathered together, which w^as quickly done, he could not resist the temptation to make a brief speech. With the deepest earnestness, he announced that we would stand where we were against whoever came. Rising in fervor as he viewed in imagination the im- pending conflict, he said: "Boys, I expect every one of you to stand firm, and if there is any dying to be done, I want you to understand that I am going to die with you." There was no mistaking his earnestness, but that was not the place to test it. He was ordered to fall back nearer Corinth, and did so, as I have already said, until the final stand was made before Robinette. There, after lying under a vicious shelling, the order to charge on the enemy, already i-eferi'ed to, was given. The or- der, as I have said, was most gallantly executed. General Oglesby's hour of triumph had come. As he saw our banners advancing through the smoke of our guns, and the enemy driven back, his soul seemed to be in an ecstasy of joy. Riding down the lines, he waved his sword and shouted at the top of liis voice, until struck by an enemy's bullet. He thought the wound mortal, as did others, but he said to one near him that he could die content, for he had seen his troops in victory. It was in this movement that General P. A. Hackleman, another brig- ade commander, was killed. This charge ended the fighting for tlie day. The Second Division in this first day's operations had lost one-third of its number. One brigade commander had been killed, and two others were disabled by wou nds. General Stanley's paper has pictured the suflfering endured by reason of heat, dust, and want of water. The remaining divisions had been comparatively free from engagement on the first day, 15 and General Davies suggested to Rosecrans that the troops of the Second Division should be spared on the next day. General Rosecrans ordered them in reserve, but tlie order proved to be an injury instead of a bless- ing, for it required until after ten o'clock to get into the reserve position, and at eleven o'clock General Rosecrans changed his plan and ordered Davies' division to a place in the center of the front line. The execution of this last order kept the men in wearisome marching and waiting until tiiree o'clock in the morning. Upon this battle-torn and physically ex- hausted little division the weight of the first attack fell on the second day. There was no dishonor in its temporary recoil, especially, when rallying in good time, it moved back to its place and sent the enemy in flight be- fore its guns. The Senior Vice-Commander — We received into the Commaudery to-night the elder son of one of our Companions, with whose brilliant record as a musket-bearing soldier, officer of the line and the staff we are all familiar. Major Frank J. Jones, please tell us of your feelings upon this occasion as well as something upon the topic of the evening. Major Jones — Commander and Companions of the Loyal Legion : — It is always a very great pleasure for me to attend the meetings of tl)e Loyal Legion, but it is especially gratifying to me to be i)reseut to-night to witness the in- stallation of my son as a member of our Commandery, and to meet again, surrounded by these very agreeable circumstances, my esteemed friend. General McCook. upon whose staff I had the honor to serve during the war while he was in command of the old Twentieth Army Corps, and it is with cordial congratulation I notice that he is enjoying perfect health. These meetings are not only full of personal enjoyment to all of us, but they are of great value, for they freshen and revive the recollection of many important events of the war which might otherwise be forever forgotten, as well as strengthen the ties of friendship and bond of fellow- ship which unite those who participated in the struggle for the preserva- tion of this glorious Union. Tlie associations of my three and a hali years' service in the army are very dear to me, and it is with never- failing interest ami delight I recall the names of my Comrades and the ex- citing incidents of the campaigns in Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mis- sissippi, Alabama, and Georgia in whicli I took part. The subject for re- 16 marks this evening is, "From Siiiloh to Corinth," a most important and eventful period of the war. I served in the battle of Shiloh on the staff of General Wm. Sooy Smith, who commanded the Seventeenth Brigade of the Army of the Ohio, my regiment, the Thirteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, being apart of that brigade. After the battle of Shiloh I continued to serve with General Smith during the advance upon and the entire campaign which resulted in the evacuation of Corinth. Well do I remember our experience at this time, and especially the excitement in our army the night before the retreat of the rebels from that wretched town. The noise and turmoil made by our enemy on the eve of their evacuation of this place was so great that we had a right to believe something startling awaited us ; either a battle or a hasty pursuit. The strategic importance of the capture of Corinth, in tlie estimation of some of our commanders, may be under- stood from the remark made by General Halleck, that the downfall of the Rebellion might be dated from that event. The error of this calcula- tion was made apparent by subsequent developments. In fact, as we well know, the succeeding years of the war were marked with an increasing series of hard-fought battles, each of which had an important influence in the decline of the power and strength of the rebels. As I look around this room this evening, and notice the gray hairs on the faces and heads of many of those present, I realize that ere long the mantle of dignity and the responsibility of keeping up this Associa- tion will rest upon the shoulders of the eldest sons of our original Com- panions as soon as they become of the proper age, and the prospect should be gratifying to them, as well as to ourselves. Here they may learn to love their country, and by the example of their fathers receive an inspira- tion which will prompt them to do their duty as good and brave citizens when their country demands their services; and whenever our national honor and welfare are in peril, I have confidence in the spirit and courage of our sons, and believe these American youths will come forward to fulfill their part with the same willingness and readiness their fathers did more than twenty-five years ago. The Loyal Legion is in fact a school of patriotism, and I regard the provision for its maintenance and perpetuation by our sons as wise and commendable. The Senior Vice-Commander — We have long known there was no more capable or gallant soldier than General McCook. We now know that he is entitled to a place in 17 the front rank <>f after-dinner speakers. He has other accomplishments. I have c 'ufideutial information that he can sing. General McCook — The people of Cincinnati should have pleasant memories of T. Buchanan Read ; he lived amongst them fur a number of years. He was a lyric poet and artist. He was a thorough patriot — not a soldier — but he and James E. Murdoch did much fur the Union cause, with lectures, recitations, etc., assisting the Sanitary Commission. In I860, Read was passing the winter in Rome, Italy. News of po- litical troubles in his native land reached him and gave him much distress. He there wrote, early in 1861, "The Flag of the Constella- tion," a lyric adapted to the music of "Sparkling and Bright." Reed determined to leave Italy for his home in Ohio. Reaching Liverpool, England, in July, 1861, the poets and artists of that city gave him a dinner. The aristocracy and bloods of England were hostile to all American interests, and were delighted with the prospect of an interstate war in America. The guests joked Read upon the subject, saying that the Southrons would whip all the Yankees of the North, and the Republic would only live in history as a thing of the past. Read was only one to twenty in the discussion, but held his own. Near the close of the dinner dispatches from the United States came, and were read, containing an ac- count of the first battle of Bull Run, one of them being from the Xew York Herald. Read was sad. He asked to see the dispatch from the New York Herald. After reading it he said : "Gentlemen — I believe the news contained in this dispatch to be true. 1 am sorry for it, but there is one fact connected with that battle that I want you all to remember, and that is. there were no Englishmen against us in that battle. It took our own people to do that." He then sang the song he wrote before leaving Rome, "The Flag of the Constellation," which I will now sing for you : 18 THE Flag of the Constellation BY T. BUCHANAN READ. 1861. MUSIC BY JAMES B. TAYLOR. THE FLAG OF THE CONSTELLATION. T. BucHAXAN- Read, iSoi. Allesri'^'tto. James K. Taylor. fcdz=}: i 1. The stars of the morn on our ban - ner borne. With the I 2. What hand so bold as to strike from its fold, One ' 3. Its nie - te - or form shall ride the siorni "Till the 4. Peace, peace to the world, is our mot - to un-furled, Tho' we -(t—t P i - ris of Heav - en are blend -ed; The hands of our sires first star or onestripe of its bright'ninsj To him be those stars each a fierc-est of foes sur - ren - der; The storm gone by it shall shun not the field that is go - ry ; At home or a-broad. fearing 1^ , ! r-\ 1 '■■ §fe ^ g^J -G — ^7— r=: y^'-r^ 1 ^ — 1 p ^ • • P m 1 V * * ! « • f ^ • 1 v-y \ 1/ y 1 "^ 1 ■ * V ■ \- 1 mingled those fires ; fier - y Mars, gild the sky, none hut onr God, And by us And each stripe A rain - We will carve they shall be de - a ter - ri - ble bow of peace and of our own path-way to fend - od. liirht -'ning. splen - dor. glo - ry. ^^> — \ 1_ !_ n^^ — -» • — 5# -JS- ^ ^ i — sM 1 — 1 1 fg — i^ r\* w 1 • 1 1 ■^ . 1 ^•i '^ ^ il ' 1 -^ n m m U •^ , •^ 1 •< >? m \ ^11 1 : f^ f \ i 1 1 •♦• • \ .' ^=2 Then hail the true, The Red, White and Blue, The flag of the Con - Ptel- v — -V • # #- -I f- * * • • '-*— -9 ->« S- -1 — p ' " ^^ 2r 1 ^ ^'—j * * » — ■**|— #-# — # >-#-«» -•— • — »- -ir;» — »-»■ m^ -9 9—:^ 5^ i S -#-^ LZ* ^" -* 9~ It sails as it sailed, bv our i^2 ^ fe^ — i$ — — • — — — i — J — — ^^ 1 n — -V ■0 ■ *' — y— M — s s — 1 Bf-7- —^ — • — • • -t — 1 —s-^ !^^ -\ — f — • — i •— 1 •- — n ii s. K. 1 k. 1 ^ .v___. V l> ! : ' : ' ! ^ m '1 K w 1 '1 /p«-7 * • • ^ J II fm- * ■ — ? — M " • • a » ■ \S]) * * « « 1 fore fa-thers hailed. O'er bat • ■ ties that made us a na - tion. C\' \-i — II • 1. 1 7 r ' 00' 1 J 7 1 ^ "^ ^ « 1 •^ 1 ^ ^ ^—r^ • 1 :&-r7 . ^ , t — f — 1^ — \ — ^* J \ j rzi — ^~n fy '.' ''-• ir^VA hi > ' ' : ^ b— Hi Hf^T— • • • • -H s * "1 — ^ — ^^i^ ^ 1 ~; — \ \ -!& S 1 * 4 Loud and long-contiuued applause followed Geueral McCuok's sing- ing, and, being again called out, he said : I have another incident in mind of which I know old soldiers will like to hear an account. The Eighth Regiment of United States Infantry was assembled at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri, for the purpose of joining the army of oc- cupation under General Zachary Taylor at Corpus Christi, Texas, a day having been set for the departure of the regiment; during the morning of that day, one of their most beloved officers, Major Shepard, died of cholera. The burial took place in the afternoon. Tlie regiment marched out to the cemetery, deposited their loved one in the ground, fired the three volleys over the grave, when they marched to the landing and boarded the steamboats waiting there to carry them to New Orleans, where they took ihe sea transports for Corpus Christi. Being several days upon the gulf, and nearing the entrance to Aransas Bay, a small steamer came out and hailed them, telling them Ampudia and La Vega had crossed the Rio Grande, and were marching to attack Taylor's base at Corpus Christi. Excitement prevailed on the transports, but a young lieutenant, Arthur T. Lee, retired to his cabin, and was engaged there for a time. Young Lee was given to song and poetry. It was after supper; the officers were in the forecastle smoking. The moon was shining brightly, as it can shine only -with such bril- liancy in those latitudes, when several spoke — "Come, Lee, give us a song." Standing upon that deck, with the phosphorescent waves around him, Lee sang the song known thereafter to the army as "Aransas Bay," the verses and music of which he had written and composed during the afternoon. Lee taught me the music, and I will sing his song for you. ARANSAS BAY. There is light on the wave, the moon shines bright, Pa-ss the bowl, fling sorrow away, my boys. If the breeze holds on, we will rock to-night On the waves of Aransas Bay, my boys. We have slept in the calm, we have laughed in the gale. We have