it will come soon-we'll gather our mountaineers together and fight it out with these brazen tricksters who have dared to sell our native State to treason and dishonor; bullet for bullet, and life against life. And that will be war after all-civil and social war in its most dread

But even these covert rabbit paths and secluded dells, where the pheasant hides its young, afford us no refuge from the omnipresent thought. Some axe-bearing mountaineer, sitting upon a prostrate log across our walk, propounds the inevitable question, "What news of the war?" We visit the village store to pur-ful shape. chase a skein of thread, or stop at the postoffice to inquire for a letter-at each place we find the little newsmongering conventions holding their daily sittings, assembling early and adjourning late, questioning all comers, and repeating the most exaggerated rumors.

And thus it was.

Whether we looked upon

the pages of a book or the petals of a flower, the steadfast features of a picture or the countenance of a sympathizing friend; whether studying the tender tints of the budding for ests or the richer and more evanescent glories of the clouds, by sunlight or moonlight, alone or in company, sleeping or waking, there was the shadowy face of the Gorgon staring with its sleepless, stony eyes.

The cherished plan of philosophic seclusion was acknowledged a failure at the end of a fortnight, and I was glad when my wife proposed a visit to her friends in Charlestown.

Here is a room which seems to have been purposely avoided; mysterious and doublelocked, like Blue Beard's fatal chamber. Ah! this room contains some rubbish; in truth, this room is my armory. That my health may not suffer from too much study I have arranged to indulge my taste for rural sports, for which the neighboring mountains and rivers afford ample opportunity. This neat English double-barreled piece is for birds, and this quaint and richly-ornamented jäger rifle is for deer and bear. Here, too, are several jointed fishing-olution had made during our absence. Joe rods, with a complete outfit of lines and flies.

And those grim-looking muskets in the corner-what are they for? They are for defense. When the worst comes-and perhaps

May 21.-To-day we took the cars at Sir John's and returned to Charlestown. It was painful to remark the progress which the rev

Johnston had taken command at Harper's Ferry, and, it was said, had ten thousand men assembled there. Trains of cars loaded with troops were passing continually from Winches

ter to Harper's Ferry. The war spirit was in full blaze, and all traces of Conservatism or Unionism seemed to be rapidly disappearing before the terror of armed force and the irresistible current of social sympathy.

May 22.-I visited Harper's Ferry to-day. The adjacent hills are covered with camps, and all the work-shops and public buildings converted into barracks. There were regiments from Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Maryland, and from various sections of Virginia. States that have seceded and those that are still loyal are here represented. How does this appear to those who insist on State sovereignty? These troops seem to be well equipped and fairly armed. They drill most industriously from morning till night. I am informed that Maryland Heights is occupied by a regiment of Kentuckians, while a company of Ashby's cavalry is established on the Maryland side, guarding the bridge at the Point of Rocks.

ready at war with the Government this seems to be a work of supererogation. So far as the County of Jefferson was concerned the polling was a farce. Troops were sent to the precincts where the force of the Union sentiment was expected to display itself, and violent threats were made against the persons and property of those who should dare to vote against the Ordinance. The result was that about one-half the voters of the county did not appear at the polls at all. A respectable minority registered their voices against it in face of the threats, and, with the assistance of the soldiers' vote at Harper's Ferry, there appeared but a small majority in this county sustaining the Ordinance.

In the adjoining County of Berkeley the troops sent to overawe public sentiment had to be shut up in their barracks to prevent their being attacked by the infuriated populace; while out of two thousand votes this county gave a majority of eight hundred in favor of the Union. In Morgan, where my father was then residing, the Ordinance was

I observe, however, that the construction of stockades and block-houses on the Maryland and Loudon Heights, commenced under Jack-repudiated by a vote of six to one. son's orders, has been discontinued, and that no further steps have been taken to mount and locate the heavy guns brought up from Norfolk. A farmer also told me that Johnston had made a requisition on the country for two hundred wagons. I also noticed that they were removing the armory machinery and material from Harper's Ferry as rapidly as possible-to be set up at Richmond, it was rumored.

It required very little military sagacity to interpret these signs, and I became convinced that Johnston would abandon the place as soon as the Federal troops moved.

Considering the character of the force thus hastily collected, the degree of order and discipline already attained is astonishing. Whisky-shops, those great enemies of social order and military subordination, were mercilessly suppressed. A sense of soldierly pride that would have been creditable to veterans seemed to govern the conduct of both men and officers. Indeed, the orderly and business-like earnestness of the camp, to those who still dream of peace or cherish hope that the thing will blow over, is far more disheartening than all the menace and bluster of the world outside.

It was worthy of remark, too, and contrary to our ordinary experiences with raw troops, that in all these camps one never heard the report of fire-arms by day or night. It was understood at the time that ammunition was very scarce; and I afterward found a letter from Colonel Jackson, wherein he states that they were at that date especially deficient in percussion caps. He had managed to procure thirty thousand from the North-about three rounds per man-and was much in need of money to purchase a larger supply.

May 23.-To-day the polls were opened for the purpose of taking the popular vote on the Ordinance of Secession. As the State is al

Whether the act of the Convention was confirmed by the popular vote of the State I do not know to this day; nor did I ever think it important to know, it being evident that all the agencies of the State Government were in the hands of conspirators who hesitated at nothing which might serve to accomplish their ends. Without the knowledge or consent of the people the State was already involved in a war with the National Government. Under the pretense of asserting State sovereignty the Richmond junto had already violated all law and trampled on popular rights. Their usurped authority was maintained and enforced, not by Virginians, but by the bayonets of strangers gathered in from all parts of the South and West; from States that had seceded and those still supporting the Union; in short, from any quarter that could furnish the requisite supply of rash, reckless, adventurous material.

The proud and sensitive Virginian already saw the sacred soil of which he was so jealous trodden by the rude feet of strangers with whom he had no affinity, social or moral; the honor of his family, his property and person at the mercy of power without law; villages occupied by swarms of boasting and brawling Kentuckians; the oldest and most respected citizens insulted on the streets, for opinion's sake, by half- civilized Mississippians; civic rights at the mercy of the military telegraph; and free opinion cowering under the menace of an Arkansas bowie-knife. Virginia, so boastful of her history, so jealous of her independence, so captious in regard to her sovereign rights, now lay subjugated by armed strangers, groveling at the feet of the Cotton Confeder

acy.

It is not surprising, therefore, that so little interest was felt in the result of the voting on that day; and when the Governor of the State,

perceiving that I was still jealously watched, and being advised by some of the officers that I might be mistaken for a Yankee and get into further trouble, I put up my pencils and returned to Charlestown, determined to visit Harper's Ferry no more.

Not a few finally joined

made their escape.
the United States army.

In the midst of the difficulties, both civil and military, which surrounded him I could not but admire the deportment of the Confederate commander; his reticence, calmness, firmness in essentials, easy acquiescence in non-essentials, his avoidance of all needless irritations of hostile political sentiment, of all needless severity in dealing with men not yet accustomed to arbitrary rule. In short, his judicious manage

Another incident occurred about this time which indicated the direction in which we were drifting, and revealed the precarious tenure upon which life and personal liberty would depend hereafter. One morning General Johnston, at Harper's Ferry, received a telegram from Beau-ment of a power, not yet secured by the habits regard, at Manassas Junction, in these words: "Arrest Abraham Herr."

of military discipline and continually disputed by adverse opinion, marked him as a man of uncommon ability, and one likely to be danger

taken arms.

Mr. Herr was a citizen of Harper's Ferry, a wealthy manufacturer, and universally esteem-ous to the Government against which he had ed. His Union sympathies were not doubted; but as he was uniformly acquiescent and oblig- May 28.-This afternoon I received some ining, and seemed only interested in saving his formation which filled me with alarm and disproperty, the most truculent Secessionists re-tress. A young kinsman, an officer of the Secspected his position. Johnston had him arrested ond Virginia Regiment, told me that on yesterimmediately; but as no charges were preferred, day, while in Martinsburg, he was accosted by and there appeared no reason for detaining him, a stranger who named himself Lieutenant Colhis case was turned over to the civil authority. | onel Flagg, of the Morgan militia, and who On his trial before a magistrate's court, al- boastingly informed him that he had just rethough there appeared no charges written or turned from Harper's Ferry, whither he had gone oral, neither accusers nor witnesses, yet Mr. to denounce old Colonel Strother, of Berkeley Herr was put under bonds for thirty thousand Springs, charging him with having several hundollars, to answer generally to any thing that dred muskets in his possession, and inciting the might turn up. Such was already the zealous citizens of the county to organize and take arms subserviency of a civil tribunal to a remote mil- against the Confederacy. He further stated itary whisper. that, at his suggestion, a body of troops had already been dispatched from Harper's Ferry to crush the movement and arrest the traitors. My cousin, to whom these statements were made, did not disclose himself to his informant, but immediately on arriving in Charlestown related them to me.

When it came to be understood among the troops at Harper's Ferry that Virginia had been transferred to the Southern Confederacy the dissatisfaction was so serious that mutiny was apprehended. This feeling was especially strong among the Border companies, in which were found so many Union men who had been deluded and dragged into a false position.

old for active service, I construed this only as a public declaration of loyalty to the Government -a zealous demonstration, to show, amidst the general defection, that there was, at least, one Virginia gentleman who felt the dishonor done to his State, and the danger with which his country was menaced by the late proceedings. Yet I knew the Western Virginians were or

In view of my father's age and feeble health I could scarcely believe it possible that he had They had hitherto clung to the desperate committed himself by so rash and premature a hope that a refusal of the people to confirm the movement. I was aware that not long before ordinance of Secession would deliver them from he had visited Washington and offered his servtheir embarrassment. When it became appar-ices to President Lincoln. But as he was too ent that there was no hope from this quarter, many threw down their arms and went home. It was said that one-half of the Border Guard from Martinsburg left their colors, declaring they would not serve in such a cause. As most of these young men went to their homes in Martinsburg, a force was sent to arrest and bring them back. For better assurance in finding them the order was executed at midnight,ganizing and arming, and seriously apprehendand the victims were dragged from their beds amidst the shrieks and protestations of their families. That night Martinsburg recalled the words of Jeremy the prophet, "In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning."

ed that my father had received arms and become involved in some movement from that quarter. Knowing the extent and quality of the force at Harper's Ferry, I felt that an attempt of the sort in Morgan, without external support, must necessarily be fatal to those who engaged in it.

An officer, just from Harper's Ferry, confirmed the report that troops had been sent to Berkeley Springs, but he was enabled to give no details.

The prisoners were carried to Harper's Ferry and tried for desertion. One who was contumacious and defiant was condemned to be shot. This, however, was only intended as a menace. The time had not arrived when such May 29.-During a sleepless night I made extreme measures would have been judicious. my plans. Arming myself with a revolver I Some of these men were persistent, and finally | rode over to Duffields Dépôt, and there took

the cars for Berkeley Springs. I determined and would be content for the present with havfirst to take summary vengeance on the wretch who had denounced my father, and then to join him and share his fortunes whatever they might be.

ing disgraced him; but I assured him that if he offended again in like manner he would not be allowed the opportunity of purchasing his life by ignominy.

In the public square of the village I called together such persons as were in sight, and read the paper to them, after relating the circumstances under which it was exacted.

I took the trouble to enact this little comedy with the hope that it might protect my father from treacherous dealings, which I apprehended from other quarters.

From further conversation I learned that there was no foundation whatever for the reports which this pragmatical scoundrel had set afoot. In full confidence that the General Gov

At Sir John s I ascertained that the Confederate troops had actually visited Berkeley, and returned, carrying with them several hundred old muskets, which had been sent from Harper's Ferry two years before to arm the citizens during the excitement which followed the John Brown raid. There had been no collision between the troops and citizens, and no one could tell whether or not any arrests had been made. Arrived at home, I entered the house with breathless anxiety. My sister met me with her accustomed cheerfulness, and, thus reassured, I had the courage to inquire for my fa-ernment was preparing an adequate force to ther. At the sound of my voice he entered from an adjoining room, looking well and calm as usual. He said the officer commanding the State troops had quietly marched over from Sir John's, got the arms which were stored in the court-house, and returned without questioning or interfering with any one.

I did not tell him what alarming information had brought me up, but felt altogether so much relieved that I modified my plan of vengeance. Having quietly prepared a written paper, I took a friend and went in search of my LieutenantColonel of militia. We overtook him walking out with a companion. Ordering him to halt, I confronted him, and taxed him with his treacherous conduct. He responded by an absolute denial of the whole matter, declaring, on his honor, that he had not even visited Harper's Ferry. I silenced him, and went on to state when, where, and to whom he had unbosomed himself. He was struck dumb.

After heaping upon him every outrageous insult that could be expressed in language, I produced the paper previously prepared, containing an acknowledgment of falsehood and an humble apology therefor: presenting it on the top of my hat with a pencil, I ordered him to sign it. Laying aside a large club which he carried, the stalwart Colonel obeyed the order with an alacrity that was creditable to his military education.

I then told him that I intended to publish this note at army head-quarters and elsewhere,

crush the rebellion, my father had been using all his influence to prevent local disturbance, counseling the elders to pursue their avocations quietly and the young men to join the United States army, where their fighting propensities might be lawfully gratified and their prowess turned to better account than it would be in private brawls.

Having satisfactorily disposed of this "ridiculus mus," the product of the mountains, I started next morning (May 30) to return to Charlestown. At Martinsburg I found every thing in confusion and excitement. The Second Regiment of Virginia Volunteers had been for some time stationed at a point opposite Williamsport to observe the National forces concentrating at Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, and whose advance already occupied Williamsport. Upon some alarming indications from the other side the Second Regiment was ordered to retire, and being composed of raw material, it passed through Martinsburg in a condition bordering on stampede. The Union citizens were jubilant in expectation of an immediate advance of the National army, while many Secessionists, in their terror, packed up their household goods and fled southward, with their families and negroes.

Owing to detentions from this and other causes, I did not reach Duffields until after nightfall, and was obliged to make my way to Charlestown, five miles distant, on foot, through mud and darkness.