h Regiment,
a young Harvard student, from whom I had taken it as he lay mortally
wounded on the battle field. This sword, which I had in mistaken
kindness taken, was accidentally discovered in Philadelphia some years
since, and it being marked with the name, was returned to his mother,
who received it almost as a message from Heaven.

We were taken on foot to the Headquarters of the General in Command of
their forces in the Town of Leesburg, Virginia, where were gathered
other prisoners. By this time night had succeeded day. We were nearly
exhausted, and were not cheered by the thought that we were prisoners
of war about to begin our captivity.

At this date there was no Cartel of Exchange. Our imagination recalled
prisons of all sorts, among them Dartmoor, about which we had heard in
our childhood. The future seemed dim, but when the General in command
offered to restore us to our friends upon our agreement not to serve
again against the Confederacy, no one was found willing to accept the
offer. Indeed we were somewhat abusive in chiding him for offering such
terms to gentlemen, and suggested that he was hardly worthy of the
appellation. His patience was exhausted by the conversation that
followed and we were hurriedly started towards Richmond, without
waiting for rations.

We passed through the Battlefield of Bull Run, and halting there were
shown into a stone structure which had been the target for many cannon
balls from both sides during the battle. Here was given about midnight
a meal, the first for 24 hours, which we managed to slightly cook by
making fires upon the floor with laths wrenched from the ceiling.
Somewhat refreshed we took passage in open freight cars for Richmond
and Libby Prison.

Our march was over and we began, as prisoners of war, the long, weary
months in Libby Prison.

I have termed the affair of Ball's Bluff an Episode. It certainly
formed no part of a movement by other troops. It was only casually
directed by General McClellan, and only informally by General Stone.
The results astonished both of these gentlemen.

The action arose from a misunderstanding caused by a quartermaster's
excited imagination. The details of transportation were not thought out
beforehand by anyone, nor time given to their perfection.

General McCall, who had a force not far off, which was not called into
action, expresses himself as "unable to account for Stone's
movement,"--thought it injudicious. It proved