onets and followed by cannon, they rose, like Roderick Dhu's men, in Sir Walter Scott's beautiful story, "The Lady of the Lake," out of the forest brakes, from their concealment, and with shouts of joy hailed the "Star-spangled 'Banner." General Grant, soon as he had gained complete possession, leaving open no communication with the enemy, issued a proclamation, remarkable for calm and prudent tone, designed to encourage the true-hearted people, and disarm the excited and misguided subjects of Jeff. Davisthe great defender and bloody advocate of rebellion, secession, and American slavery. Here is the famous procla mation:

PADUCAH, KY., September 6, 1861.

To the Citizens of Paducah: I am come among you, not as an enemy, but as your fellow citizen. Not to maltreat you, nor annoy you, but to respect and enforce the rights of all loyal citizens. An enemy in rebellion against our common Government has taken possession of, and planted his guns upon the soil of Kentucky, and fired upon you. Columbus and Hickman are in his hands. He is moving upon your city. I am here to defend you against this enemy, to assist the authority and sovereignty of your Government. I have nothing to do with opinions, and shall deal only with armed rebellion, and its aiders and abettors. You can pursue your usual avocations without fear. The strong arm of the Government is here to protect its friends and punish its enemies. Whenever it is manifest that you are able to defend yourselves, and maintain the authority of the Government, and protect the rights of loyal citizens, I shall withdraw the forces under my command. U. S. GRANT,

Brigadier-General Commanding

In keeping with the plain, noble words of the com mander, was his appearance at headquarters in camp at Cairo. Had you been sent to look for him, you might have believed that officer with dashing uniform, whose gilt buttons and shoulderstraps shone in the sunlight, and whose air was that of conscious power, to be our hero. But you would have to look again; and, passing by all the showy generals, colonels, and captains, fix the eye on that still, plain man, whose clothes are scarcely better than those of a common soldier, with an unadorned black and bruised felt hat on his head, smoking, with a thoughtfully careless air, a cigar. I wish we could leave out the cigar; smoking, and chewing tobacco is condemned by all sensible persons, even those who have the habit, as nearly always useless, if not injurious. Still, good men in early life acquire a taste for the weed, and then it is hard to give it up. General Grant belongs to this class, we must allow. Some allusion was made, one day, to General Grant's "stove-pipe" hat, and his constant companion, a cigar, in a sarcastic tone; when an enthusiastic friend wittily re plied: "Such a bright stove-pipe as Grant should be ex cused for smoking."

CHAPTER VI.

Columbus-Exchange of Prisoners-Battles-General Grant writes to his Father-Cares for the Wounded-A New Department of CommandPrepares for a Grand Movement upon the Enemy-His Strategy-Issues Orders-The Advance.

OLUMBUS, eighteen miles below, was an important position, from which the movement on Paducah was made by the rebels. So the General thought he would pay the enemy a visit there. But just as he was getting ready with troops to do so, the Government demanded five regiments; which left him too weak to seek, with hope of suc cess, for headquarters in Columbus. Polk was in command there, with A number of prisoners of war had mishes of the armies; and, about the middle of October, General Polk and General Grant had correspondence on the subject of an exchange. General Polk, in his note, referred to the "Confederate States; " to which Grant replied: I recognize no Southern Confederacy' myself, but will communicate with higher authorities for their

แ

Major-General Bishop twenty thousand men. been taken in the skir

views." The hero, in a patriotic way, was decidedly "spunky" in the affair. Whatever became of the prison. ers, trusting that loyal hearts among them felt as he did, he would have nothing to do with a proposition which called on him to recognize a government founded on treason. While this was transpiring, Brigadier-General Jeff. Thompson was advancing northward in Missouri. General Grant had not given him permission to do so, and immediately determined to apprise him of the fact. He ordered a part of his forces under Colonel Plummer, stationed at Cape Girardeau, Mo., to march forward to Fredericktown, and, joined by Colonel Carlin, advancing from another direc tion, cross the rebel chieftain's path.

The mild, soft morning of October 21st brought the time of meeting in battle. Thompson had three thousand five hundred men, who fought bravely; but they were compelled to yield to Yankee bullets and steel. It is true, our force was superior by a few hundred troops. For two hours the contest lasted, followed the next day with a pursuit of the enemy twenty-two miles. General Grant's reply to Colonel Plummer's despatch, conveying tidings of victory, reveals his kind and noble nature. After congratulating the brave troops on the courage and cheerful submission to hardships with which they were willing "to meet their rebellious brethren, even at great odds," he adds : "Our loss, small as it was, is to be regretted; but the friends and relations of those who fell can congratulate themselves in the midst of their affliction,

that they fell in maintaining the cause of constitutional freedom, and the integrity of a flag erected in the first instance, at a sacrifice of many of the noblest lives that ever graced a nation.”

steamers.

Colonel Plummer took forty-two prisoners, an iron twelve-pounder, and other arms, with a number of horses. It was also discovered that Confederate forces sent from Columbus to cut off Colonel Oglesby, who had gone to prevent a junction of General Price with General Thompson, were concentrating at Belmont. General Grant resolved to go himself and see what they were trying to do. He gave General McClernand command of a brigade, and led another himself. The troops marched from Cairo November 6th, 1861, and were soon crowding the river The sun was high when they landed, the next day, at Belmont. Forming immediately into line of battle, they moved on the rebel works, commanded by General Cheatham. The dauntless Union forces marched forward toward the camp. Between it and them was an abatis of twenty acres of fallen timber; i. e., the trees so laid and pointed as to make it difficult as possible to get over or through them. Onward pressed the troops into the formidable defence, under a deadly storm of bullets and enormous shells, which came shrieking from the guns at Columbus, over their heads. Down went General Grant's horse under him, while a rifle ball struck General McClernand, but was turned from its fatal mission by the pistol in his holster. Winding among stumps and creeping