military league between that State and the Confederate States.

May 9. The Congress at Montgomery passed an act authorizing Jefferson Davis to raise such a force for the war as he might deem expedient.

The Legislature of Pennsylvania passed a bill appropriating three millions of dollars for war purposes.

The First Regiment Connecticut volunteers left New Haven for the seat of war; also the First Regiment Vermont volunteers left Rutland for Washington. Not only were the Eastern and Middle States in motion, but the West, almost en masse, like a mighty cataract, was moving on toward the national capital, eager to lay themselves on the altar of their country, for their country's good; and the multitudes who gathered to see these regiments depart were witnesses to many heartrending scenes, many a tear-dimmed eye, many an outburst of sorrow and affectionate adieu, which will be as lasting as the world, even till the resurrection morning.

May 10. A brigade of the Missouri State militia, under General Frost (rebel), in camp at Camp Jackson, surrendered unconditionally on demand of Captain Lyon, commander of United States forces in St. Louis.

It appears that the governor of that State, who was a secessionist, had been doing all in his power to precipitate the community into the hands of the rebel leaders. One of his ingenious schemes was the formation of a State militia, which was simply a rebel force under another name. Captain Lyon could not suffer this defiant treasonable body to organize and gain strength close under his eye, so he marched on Camp Jackson with some 6,000 volunteers, surrounded it, and planted eight field-pieces on the adjoining eminences. Captain Lyon then sent a letter to General Frost, charging him with being openly in communication with the Southern Confederacy, and in direct hostility to the government

of the United States and coöperation with its enemies, receiving at Camp Jackson, and under its flag, for said Confederacy, large supplies and materials of war, most of which were known to be the property of the United States, and demanded an immediate surrender of his command, with no other conditions than that all the persons surrendering should be humanely and kindly treated, and giving him half an hour to comply with the demand. General Frost replied that he was unprepared successfully to resist the attack; he therefore accepted the terms specified and surrendered his command, about eight hundred men being in camp, and a large number being in the city on leave; they then laid down their arms, and were escorted to the city as prisoners of war. Release on parole was tendered to the officers and troops, providing they took the oaths not to take up arms against the United States government, which they declined to do. They were accordingly confined in the arsenal, but released on the next day by acceding to these propositions.

General Frost and his officers gave their parole under protest, and the men took the oath not to serve against the United States.

Just before the troops left for the city, and while the State forces were drawn up between the lines of the volunteers, rocks and other missiles were thrown at the volunteers, and a few pistol shots were fired by excited persons in the crowd, which was composed of a large number of citizens, including many women. One shot took effect in the leg of Captain Biantowski, and as he fell he gave the order to fire, which was obeyed, resulting in the death of several in the crowd, and severely wounding many others.

General Sam Houston, in a speech at Independence, Texas, declared his opposition to the coercive policy of the Federal government.

President Lincoln issued a proclamation authorizing the commander of the forces of the United States on the coast of Florida, to suspend the writ of habeas corpus, and to remove from the vicinity of the United States fortresses all dangerous or suspected per

sons.

No one can realize the amount of embarrassment which the government has encountered from the necessity of intrusting the execution of its orders to an army and navy almost half demoralized by officers of treasonable sympathies.

When it was decided to employ troops for the defence of the capital, staff-officers, after remaining long enough in the War Department to acquire as much knowledge as possible of the details, resigned, to carry that knowledge into the camp of the enemy.

When the Norfolk Navy Yard was found to be in danger, orders were despatched from the Navy Department to have all the vessels taken out. Officers at the yard, secretly sympathizing with secession, first prevented the execution of the orders, on the ground that it was not necessary, and then. resigned. The Navy Department, on being apprised of this, instantly sent Commodore Paulding down to save the property. But it was then too late. All that could then be done was to destroy it, to prevent its falling into the hands of the secessionists.

When the Seventh Regiment and the Massachusetts troops arrived at Annapolis, the capital was almost defenceless. A quartermaster was ordered to go to Annapolis from Washington to hasten their march. He went,

as was supposed, to execute his mission; but, instead of bringing in the desired reinforcements, coolly, at his leisure, brought in his resignation!

These are but a few items out of a whole volume of unwritten history. At every step, for a while, the

government was clogged and crippled by traitors, who drew their pay and affected loyalty so long as nothing was required of them, but who, at the critical moment when their services were wanted, deserted to the enemy.

CHAPTER XII.

The star-flowering banner must never be furled,

For its blossoms of light are the hope of the world.

MAY 10. Colonel Jones, in command of the Sixth Regiment at the Relay House, received an intimation. that an immense steam-gun, capable of firing several times in a minute, and made by Ross Winans, and called Winans' steam-gun, had been sent on a train from Baltimore to Harper's Ferry, concealed in shavings. The gun escaped the vigilance of the inspecting guard, when Colonel Jones started an extra train, and overtook the train at Ellicott's Mills, six miles from the Junction, and captured the gun and placed it in a position to command the viaduct over the Patapsco River at Elk Ridge Landing.

May 11. The Queen of England issued a proclamation of neutrality.

The United States steam frigate Niagara arrived off the bar of Charleston, S. C., and began the blockade of that port

A great Union demonstration in San Francisco, Cal. Nothing like it was ever seen there before. Business was entirely suspended. The streets were filled with people, and flags were as plenty as stacks of grain in a wheat field. Senators Latham and McDougal, and Generals Sumner, Shields, and others, made addresses in favor of sustaining the Administration.

Resolutions were adopted that secession should be put down, and the Union preserved. A procession moved through the streets, embracing all the military and civil organizations, and thousands of citizens on foot, on

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