is
information sent by Carleton was the first news which either President
Lincoln or Secretary Stanton had of Grant's latest movements.

From the telegraph office, young Carleton went to the Boston
_Journal_ Bureau, on 14th Street. There he had to wait some time,
since Mr. Coffin's successor in Washington, not expecting any tidings,
was leisurely in appearing. By the first mail going out, however, a
"great wad of manuscript," put in envelopes as letters, was posted.
Again the _Journal_ beat even the official messengers and the other
newspapers in giving the truthful reports of an eye-witness. Thus,
Charles Carleton Coffin scored another triumph.

How to get back to the army was now a question for young Carleton. The
orders of the Secretary of War were peremptory that no one should
leave Washington for the front. The correspondents who were there
might stay, but no fresh accessions could be made to the ranks of the
news-gatherers. How, then, could young Carleton pierce through the
hedge of authority?

But the man diligent in business shall stand before kings. Young
Carleton, securing a commission as nurse from Surgeon-General Hammond,
went down to the riverside, and, going on board a steamer arriving
with wounded, he helped to unload its human freight. When the last
man had been carried over the gunwales, young Carleton stayed on
board. When far down the river, on the returning boat, he ceased being
something like a stowaway, and became visible. No one challenged or
disturbed him. At Acquia Creek, he found that General Augur, having
sent all his wounded North, was just abandoning the communication.
Young Carleton then went to Belle Plain, and thence marched three days
with three companies of the Veteran Invalid Corps, and rejoined the
army on its forced march, when Grant moved by the left flank down
towards Petersburg.

Meanwhile, the pride of Mr. Coffin, the journalist, and the
conscience of Mr. Coffin, the man, the uncle, and the Christian, had
been at civil war. He was berating himself for having let his nephew
go on so dangerous an errand. When the news flew round the camp that
"young Carleton's back," Mr. Coffin rushed up to his nephew, wrung his
hand, and cried out, with beaming face, "Ed, you're a brick."

CHAPTER XV.

"THE OLD FLAG WAVES OVER SUMTER."

By this time, Mr. Coffin was himself nearly exhausted, having been
worn down by constant service, day and night, in one of the most
exhausting ca