Emblems of the Blue and the Grey. in the New York market. But soldiers were notoriously profligate, and money was no object to men who were always sure of a funeral for nothing. Armed with these attractive missiles, I returned to the front and watched with intense interest the unlimbering of these new guns. The effect was magical; the female heart rose superior to political sentiment, and there was an unconditional surrender. In a few days I bore away the Union and Confederate flags worked in loving embrace by her fair hands, and if I was not rewarded by a brevet, with my name spelled incorrectly in the papers, I felt, nevertheless, the glow of satisfaction which always follows a righteous success. It would make a very pretty and romantic ending to the narrative, by stating that I afterward married the young lady. Although I do not belong to George Washington Post, I cannot tell a lie. She is still unmarried. It is pleasant, also, in this connection, to mention another little amenity, which shows that war does not always blot out the better characteristics of human nature. At the edge of this town was a handsome cemetery, which became the last resting-place of many a gallant Confederate. The vandals of both armies, who had more regard for their own comfort than respect for the dead, had made sad havoc of the cemetery fence, and when our division arrived, there was scarcely a post left to mark the boundaries of the sacred enclosure. General Merritt, with the tenderness which characterizes all brave men, determined that the rights of the dead, as well as of the living, should be respected, and directed the writer to proceed, under an escort, to Berryville (the haunt of White's and Moseby's guerrillas), and confiscate (steal is what the Berryville people called it) enough rails to fence in the neglected cemetery. Merritt had none of the business reserve of the late Colonel Jim Fisk, who refused a subscription to erect a fence around a graveyard in Vermont on the ground that those who were out didn't want to get in, and those who were in couldn't get out if they wanted to. So we trotted off one fine morning with a company of cavalry and an extended train of wagons on this of-fence-ive and de-fence-ive expedition. That the expedition was a success may be inferred from the following report to headquarters of the quartermaster in charge : HEADQUARTERS FIRST CAVALRY DIVISION, ARMY OF THE SHENANDOAH, IN THE FIELD, February 17, 1865. MAJOR A. E. DANA, A. A. G. SIR:-I have the honor to report that in compliance with orders, I yesterday took charge of fifty wagons and an escort of two hundred men and proceeded to Grimes' farm, about six miles beyond Berryville, for the purpose of securing rails to make a railing around the Winchester cemetery. The column marched in good order, without incident, until we found old Grimes, who, by ancient tradition, is supposed to be dead. I have taken great pains to inform Mrs. G. that tradition, as usual, is at fault, and that the elder G. is anxious to fold her to his withered embrace. While on G.'s farm, a shot was fired at the party from a neighboring barn. The barn fort was charged, and the prisoner captured. A drum-head court-martial was immediately ordered, and the prisoner put on trial for his life. During the trial (which was sure to convict the bushwhacker), the president of the court, a man of weight, fell through the drum, and the proceedings were then declared null and void, it being impossible to hold a drum-head court-martial when the head of the drum was out. At this moment a sergeant reported the enemy, 2,000 strong, in line of battle, with drawn sabres, ready to charge. My first impulse-as I rather prefer the credit system-was to inform them to charge and be d-d; but on second thought I rode boldly to the summit of a hill and made a Napoleonic telescopic reconnoissance of the enemy through a hole in the crown of my hat. The sergeant, having reported artillery, I devoted my chief energies to that. The telescope developed numerous blue coats and several wagons. I returned to Grimes' field, and placed the teams in line of battle, the right resting on Mrs. Grimes' dairy and the left on the sinoke-house in the rear-a strategic formation of the line required by the conformation of the ground. The enemy proved to be a detail from the Third Cavalry Division, and did not attack. My instructions to the teainsters, mules and other employes to charge for the nearest pike, in case of an attack, were not carried out. The expedition returned in safety to the Winchester cemetery, where it was received by a deputation of defunct Winchesterian skeletons, who rattled out their thanks and complained of being very dry. This last complaint is respectfully referred to the dispensers of commissary "benzine." Six officers badly bored. 250 men exceedingly hungry. Ten mules badly demoralized. LIST OF CASUALTIES. The movement being strictly of-fence-ive, its success is worthy of the highest commendation. The quartermaster in charge agrees to receive his reward in the shape of a brigadiergeneral's commission. REX, Captain, Quartermaster in Charge. The suggestion for the promotion was not honored, and "Rex" was left to wait for a majority, which came soon after. An Adventure at Kenaga's Tavern. And this reminds me of a story told of Captain Isaac B. Parker, now deceased, a brave and gallant officer, who was a favorite aide on the staff of General Hancock. Parker was in Philadelphia, on leave of absence, about the time when brevets were being handed around rather freely, and with a few friends, was enjoying an evening at a suburban resort, called Kenaga's Tavern. Their festivities were interrupted by a party of roughs, who, in view of Ike's uniform, began to speak slightingly of the Army of the Potomac, and to abuse the government for carrying on the war. Ike, who was not over five feet six, bore things, patiently for a few minutes, but his indignation got the better of his discretion, and, selecting the rowdy nearest him, a man about twice his weight, planted a well-directed blow between the eyes and laid him sprawling on the floor. This gun was the signal for a general engagement along the whole line, and in scarcely more time than it has taken me to write it, the roughs were cleaned out, and the "Second Corps" held the field. On his return to the front, Ike found that the fame of his adventure had preceded him. So, with great gravity, he put in a formal application for brevet, for gallantry in the engagement at Kenaga's Tavern. Although he did receive several brevets for conspicuous bravery, the name of Kenaga's Tavern does not appear upon the official parchments of the War Depart ment. I think it not inappropriate to close this sketch by referring to a very happy reunion of the Blue and the Gray, in which I participated. On the 4th of July, 1883, the cadets of the Virginia Military Institute, at Lexington, visited New York, for the purpose, among other things, of returning the flag of the 155th Regiment of New York Volunteers, which had been captured by cadets, in the war, when they were suddenly called into the Confederate service. Colonel Mott Hall, who assisted in the capture, was present. The corps was under the command of Colonel Scott Schip. President Arthur had previously welcomed the young men at the Fifth Avenue Hotel, and presented to them their diplomas. In a brief address, he expressed the hope that whenever the Union flag was assailed or in danger, the Virginia soldiers would be on hand to defend it. The sentiment was received with the old-time Confederate yell, that made the welkin ring. At the hall, many distinguished Union soldiers were present, and the formal return of the captured flag was made through Mayor Edson, in the Governor's room, from whose walls the life-like representations of many men noted in civil and military life looked benignantly down. The scene was an impressive one. The boys, in their handsome suits of gray, stood at attention. Colonel Portlock, holding the flag, said: Fraternization and "The standard-bearer, who is with us to-day, is a New Yorker, and I congratulate ourselves that we are here on this 107th birthday of the country, and that we stand shoulder to shoulder, the same as your Hamilton stood shoulder to shoulder with our Washington. But we present this flag, not so much as a memento of the war, as a testimonial to the men who fought as their honest convictions directed them. Twenty years ago, many of us stood face to face in deadly strife. To-day, we stand as brothers, proud of our country. And over the graves of the dead on both sides of the conflict should be inscribed the epitaph which begins with the line: ""They did their duty as they saw it." This sentiment was received with loud cheers, and cries of "hear, bear." Colonel Mott Hall then said that it was a matter of fortune that his men had been enabled to capture the flag, as in the darkness the Union forces sallied forth from their stockade, and thus exposed were easily captured by superior forces. He was assured of the good feeling between the North and the South, however much politicians might attempt to misrepresent facts. "The war was inevitable," continued Colonel Hall, "because our hot blood had to be cooled in that way, but I am glad that it came in my day, and not to my children and their children. "I believe Providence was in the war, and if He had decided the victory in our favor, I think He would have made a great mistake." There were more loud cheers and yells to mark the approval of this utterance. Mayor Edson replied that it gave him great pleasure, on behalf of the city of New York, to welcome the visitors on their graceful errand of peace. "All differences," said he, " are now buried deep and forever, and this occasion has a far deeper significance in that regard than the mere restoration of that which was lost by the misfortune of battle. We will preserve this flag as an emblem of peace and good-will, and in the name of the people we welcome you to this metropolis." The war ended at Appomattox. We are one people, with one common destiny. "Let us have peace." T WHEN YOU WORE THE YANKEE BLUE. (Written for a Banquet of Veterans.) I IME to pity is a stranger. To withstand his soulless force, But he is the surest healer. Bleeding wounds to-day there are II Cherished names and works of daring in "the times that try men's souls" Do not wait upon the lifting of a feeble voice like mine; III From the sluggish, bracken current of Potomac's languid stream IV O, the clashing, crushing tumult that its furious presence wreaked V O'er the rifle-pit the ivy long hath clambered since the day |