around my neck, and holding the mistletoe above my head, she kissed me again and MAJOR GEN. JOSEPH WHEELER, JR, again, and said I was her sweetheart! So this child sweetheart brought the old times back-the old times that are still so distant and so near; and with the sweet kisses 'neath the rustling leaves made me think of my dead Alice in the grave. The first kiss and the last; the last and first, and of all days in the world on Christmas Day. THE BIRTH OF THE PEARLS. (SONG.) "Yel mar como imbidioso, A tierra por las lagrimas salia, Las guarder en conchas, y convierte en Upou the sea shore stood a maiden Watching a retreating sail, Which with her heart's pure treasure laden Second son of Joseph Wheeler, one of the oldest citizens of Augusta, Georgia, was born in that city on the 10th of September, 1836. His youth was spent in the first schools of the country, and gave evidence of that genius which, at so early an age of his manhood, was destined to shine forth and give him a commanding position in his country's history. Early in life he chose the profession of arms, despite the wishes and instructions of a good father and mother. He was appointed to West Point in 1854, and was the first that graduated under the five year rule. His career there, developed the fact that he was one of the few who are born for the profession of Arms. While others were passing their leisure moments in sport and reading the romances of the day, young Wheeler could be found in the library, poring, with the deepest interest, over those volumes which spoke of campaigns and battles, both ancient and modern, and examining military Sped o'er the waves with favoring gale.maps and plans of battle of distinguished And often on the beach she lingered The weary day and lonely night, But ne'er Aurora rosy-fingered Hope deferred-soul cherished sorrow, And stole the roses from the maiden's cheek. As on the lonely shore she stands Yielding her soul to dark despair, generals. His classmates all speak of this peculiar trait of his character; and so diligently did he apply himself to this study, and that of the organization and administration of armies, and so familiar did he become with these subjects, that they regarded his decision as final upon any disputed point. In October 1859, he was ordered to the cavalry school at Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and there remained on duty, during the winter. In the spring of 1860, we find him in New Mexico, stationed, respectively at Forts Union, Craig and Fillmore, and engaging in several important scouts against the hostile Indians. Early in Come joyously the wanton waves; March, 1861, seeing the storm-cloud gath Take up her tears mid murmurs sweet ering over his country, he at once decided And bear them to old ocean's caves. his course, and when his native State seceThe dewy drops in rosy shell shut up, ded, forwarded his resignation and returnTo pearls are changed within the ma-ed to Georgia. On his arrival, he was commissioned 1st Lieutenant of artillery The absent bark returns, fulfils the lover's in the regular army, and assigned to duty at Pensacola, Florida. Here he labored, gic cup, Vow, And bridal jewels deck the maiden's as only the true soldier will, and manifest brow. IKEY INGLE. ed, not only untiring energy and zeal, but la capacity far beyond his years, receiving the special commendation of his comman- he commanded, bore a prominent part, der, General Bragg. The attention of the Upon the evacuation of Corinth, General President having been called to the worth Beauregard directed that the best brigade of so excellent an officer, he commissioned of the army should be selected as the him COLONEL, and assigned him to the rear-guard. The brigade, commanded by command of the 19th Alabama Infantry Col. Wheeler, was chosen, and the numeRegiment. Here was a wider sphere, and rous engagements with, and charges made he entered upon it with the vigor of a su- upon the pursuing enemy, at Bridge Creek perior mind. and other points, tell how well he executed so responsible a trust. In the latter part of July, he was placed cavalry, capturing a small train, with a number of horses and mules. He also burned three thousand (3,000) bales of cotton, which had been purchased by the enemy. A large force, not less than twenty times his own, was sent to capture him, but he eluded his pursuers and brought his When the great BEAUREGARD began to collect his army at CORINTH, Mississippi, Col. Wheeler's regiment was among the in command of the cavaly of the army of first to arrive at that point. By constant Mississippi, which had been idle, and had drill and discipline, he soon made it a re-worn away, for want of care, to a mere giment of the very first order. During the squad. In four days after taking command, battle of Shiloh, his regiment was in the he had penetrated the enemy's lines, and foremost rank, and right bravely did Col. was destroying bridges on the line of comWheeler manoeuvre it throughout that munication near Bolivar and Jackson, brilliant engagement. He was always Tennessee. He also, during this time, had found with his regiment in the thickest of several successful fights with the enemy's the fight, urging his brave troops upon the serried ranks of the enemy, several times leading in successful charges, bearing his regimental colors in his own hands. He was highly complimented on the field by many of the most distinguished generals, who bore brave parts in that memorable struggle. General Withers, his Division command out in safety. From this period, commander, in his official report, speaking of the withdrawal of our troops from the field, testifies to his valor and skill in the following words. "The remainder of the troops were left under command of Col. Wheeler, who, throughout the fight, had proved himself worthy of all trust and Upon the march of our army into Kenconfidence,—a gallant commander and an tucky, Col. Wheeler struck many a well accomplished soldier." The official report aimed blow, at the flanks of the enemy, as of Brig. General James R. Chalmers, who he rapidly retreated to the Ohio river. His commanded a brigade, in the same divi-gallantry and the brilliancy of his charges sion, in recounting the operations of the at Munfordsville, elicited the admiration second day, thus refers to him- Colonel and compliments of the enemy. During Wheeler, of the 19th Alabama Regiment the battle of Perryville, he handled his briwas, with a small remnant of the regiment, gade with the most consummate ability, at this time, fighting with the small rem-keeping back, during the day, by his stubnant of Mississippians, and bearing the born resistance, an entire corps of the enecolors of his command in this last charge my. As the enemy formed his lines upon` so gallantly made. He had two horses the hills west of Perryville, with the evishot under him, and so conspicuous was dent purpose of turning our left flank, Col. his gallantry, he was recommended by his Wheeler charged them again and again,at commanding general for promotion to brig- the head of his brigade, and put him to adier general. rout. Nothing could exceed the heroic the true genius of the young soldier began to expand and show itself, and soon it became manifest that the cavaly was to shine forth and aid our cause in a manner never before conceived of by our military men. In the many conflicts, including the fight bearing of this officer upon that brilliant at Farmington, by which the advance of field. the powerful force of the enemy upon General Polk, in his official report, comCorinth was contested, the brigade which mends his gallantry for leading a charge in which a battery and a number of prison- was covered by cavalry, handled with ers were taken. When the commanding more skill than had ever been known un. general determined to leave Kentucky, he der similar circumstances. Col. Wheeler, appointed Col. Wheeler, chief of cavalry, during this campaign, met the enemy in and entrusted to him the work of covering no less than thirty successful fights, bethe retreat, which will, when the history sides innumerable skirmishes. of this revolution is recorded, rank second After this campaign, upon the combined to none in the able manner in which it recommendation of General Bragg, Polk, was conducted. Although this responsi- Hardee and Buckner, he was commission bility was of a magnitude sufficient to ap-ed Brigadier General, and immediately sent pal many an older soldier, this gallant and to middle Tennessee. On his arrival, he intrepid soldier meets it and distinguishes was stationed at Lavergne, fifteen miles himself in many a brilliant engagement. in front of our army. From here he sal From Danville to London, the blush of the lied forth almost daily, frequently captur grey dawn and the shades of night alike ing foraging parties, with their trains, from bear noble testimony of the able manner Nashville, and kept his pickets in view of in which the enemy's exultant columns the spires of that city. In one of these were met and handsomely repulsed. His engagements his horse was torn in pieces soldiers soon learned, from his always be- by a cannon ball, his aid killed at his side, ing in front and ever watchful at night, and he himself painfully wounded by the that their labor was not only one of great fragment of a shell. Notwithstanding the importance, but about to reflect honor alike intense pain from which he was suffering, upon officer and soldier. During this re- he procured another horse, and remained treat, his effective force did not exceed, at on the field until he had driven the enemy any time, one thousand men, but so inge-away. The Yankee author of Gen. Roseniously did he dispose it, that he protected crans'. "Campaigns of the army of the every approach to our army, and forced Cumberland," in speaking of their difficul the enemy to advance in long lines of bat-ties in obtaining forage, states that "not a tlé, under the impression that a large in-nubbin of corn was obtained without fight fantry force was in his front. Thus was ing for it," and in excusing their disasters his advance restricted to six or seven miles in these fights, says Gen. Wheeler, "the per day. Numerous attempts were made rebel commander encouraged his troops, by the enemy to turn his position in order by both voice and example." During the to strike at the flanks of our army and two months he was engaged in twenty dis capture our our wagon trains. These Colonel tinct fights, besides many skirmishes, at Wheeler had anticipated, and his ever all times exhibiting so dauntless a spirit watchful care frustrated all their plans. that the soldiers of his command gave him Each night he acquainted himself tho- the soubriquet of the "Little Hero." On roughly with the nature of the country the morning of the 26th of December, over which he was to fight on the succeed-1862, Rosecrans commenced his advance, ing day, which accoun's, in a great mea-which resulted in adding fresh laurels to sure, for his uniform success. The weary the brow of this gallant general. For four and foot-sore victors of the bloody field of successive days, Gen. Wheeler manœu Perryville, after the march of the day,vred his command so as to hold the enemy would bivouac in quiet upon the beautiful in check until our army was prepared to streams of Eastern Kentucky, saying grapple with him upon the banks of Stone "Wheeler and his trusty boys are guard- River. When General Bragg was ready to ing us." So successfully was the retreat receive the enemy, General Wheeler quirovered by the cavalry, that in no instance etly withdrew within the infantry lines at was an infantry soldier ever called upon night fall, not to rest, but to commence to fire his musket. General Buell, who work anew. After a few hours rest to his was severely censured and relieved from worn horses and men, "to horse," was the command of his army, for allowing again sounded; and in the dark, bleak General Bragg to escape from Kentucky, night, he pressed forward with about elestated, officially, that General Bragg's rear ven hundred men, and gained the enemy's rear. At daylight on the morning of the saddle eighteen hours out of every twenty30th, he encountered a large, supply train four during that time, now directing a near Jeffersonville, with a brigade of in- scout, now posting a picket, and then dashfantry in front of it. With a portion of ing like a phantom on some unsuspecting the command, he charged the brigade, body of the enemy. drove it away, while the remainder of his General Bragg, in his official report of force, destroyed and drove off the wagons the battle of Murfreesboro, states: "To the and mules and secured the stores. Not skillful manner in which the cavalry thus content, however, to hover merely on the ably supported, was handled, and the exflanks of the enemy, he presses on, until ceeding gallantry of its officers and men, his immediate rear is reached, when train must be attributed the four day's time enafter train loaded with the most valuable gaged by the enemy in reaching the battle supplies was destroyed or brought off. To field, a distance of only twenty miles from an eye witness, nothing could have been his encampments, over fine McAdamized more thrilling or exciting, than the manœu-roads. On Monday night, Gen. Wheeler vering of this command, charging in three proceeded, as ordered, to gain the enemy's separate columns, firing as they charged rear. By Tuesday morning, moving on the and completely terrifying the guards, as by Jefferson Pike, around the enemy's flank, he detachments of hundreds they are encoun- had gained the rear of their whole army, and tered and captured. The scene at Laverg-soon attacked the trains, their guards and ne was unusually thrilling. There, amid the numerous stragglers. He succeeded the clatter of innumerable hoofs, and the in capturing hundreds of prisoners, and ⚫ braying of thousands of captured mules, a single glance could take in the surrender of hundreds of persons, and the smoke and blaze of immense depots of stores and nearly a thousand wagons. Gen. Wheeler does not stop here, but speeds away to Rock Spring and Nolensville, at each of which places he encounters the trains of the enemy's right wing, which meet with the fate of those upon the left and center. At night he camped his weary horsemen beneath the light of the enemy's camp fires, and on the following day joins in the fierce carnage of the battle of the 31st December, 1862. He charges again and again upon the enemy's long lines, disconcerting all of General Rosecrans' plans of battle, After the battle, Generals Forrest, Morand causing him to detach a large force gan and Wheeler, were each ordered to from the front of his army. He makes work upon the enemy's lines of communieven another circuit of their army, de-cation. General Morgan, having just restroying an immense quantity of supplies turned from Kentucky, was unable to go, and valuable trains. He had well nigh and General Forrest's command was too completed the third circuit, when he was much worn to attempt anything immedirecalled to cover the retreat of our army.ately. General Wheeler, although his In this he was eminently successful, hav-command had been fighting almost hourly ing held the enemy in check in sight of for a fortnight, collected about six hundred Murfreesboro for five days. Those who men, and amid the beating snow and ice, witnessed all the circumstances, preceding commenced the march. In a short time and during the battle of Murfreesboro, pro- he was swooping like an eagle after his nounce his skill and endurance as surpass-prey, upon the enemy's rail roads, and the ing anything before known in cavaly. He rivers plowed by his magnificent steamers. did not sleep exceeding five hours during A locomotive and train of cars are first the whole of five days, and was in the destroyed on the Nashville and Chattanoo VOL. XXXVIII-15 destroying hundreds of wagons, loaded with supplies and baggage. After clearing the road, he made his entire circuit and joined the cavalry on our left." General Bragg makes mention, also, of Gen. Wheeler's two other successful movements to the enemy's rear, by which he captured more trains and many prisoners. In closing his report, he states that "General Wheeler was pre-eminently distinguished throughout the action, as well as for a month previous, in many successful conflicts with the enemy-and he ascribes to his gallant lead, and that of his officers, the just enhancement of the reputation of our cavalry." Pursuant to orders from army head quarters, he returned to the army, not, however, without striking a blow on his return march, by which he captured and destroyed a large locomotive and long train of cars, on which were taken one hundred ga rail road, and the bridge over Mill Creek | number of prisoners taken up to this time, cut away and burned. There nine large on this expedition, was four hundred and transports, laden with rich supplies, each filty. The amount and value of the stores guarded by a strong infantry force, and destroyed at Ashland, on the transports convoyed by a fleet of gunboats, bound for and in the wagon trains, during the battle the "army of the Cumberland," meet his of Murfreesboro was immense, so great, eagle eye. He boldly attacks and cap-indeed, that it is generally conceded it was tures the transports, and soon they lie in the main cause which delayed the second blackened hulks along the shore. Few, advance of the enemy for the space of six but those who have witnessed a similar months. scene, can appreciate the grandeur of a fleet of "iron-clads," as they plow their way defiantly, belching forth, at each revolution of their wheels, shot and shell from their iron-sides. So steamed the "Siddell." "Steady men, steady, she is ours," is shouted forth by the hero, and soon the welkin and fifty prisoners more. Before reaching rang' with shouts, as our handful of horse. the army, be received a telegran. from the men see the "Stars and Stripes" lowered PRESIDENT, announcing his promotion to to her deck, and the commanding officer Major General. Congress passed a resosurrenders his sword, his crew, her arma-lution of thanks to General Wheeler for ment of heavy guns, small arms and valuhis daring conduct and brilliant achieveable supplies of ammunition. Along side the blazing and crackling transports, she becomes a cinder upon the waters, which only an hour before she had walked so proudly" like a thing of life." ments. During the next four months, we find this favored child of Mars, with his command, occupied in picketing close up to the enemy's main army, covering a front of seventy miles, and engaged in protecting trains of supplies for our army, from the enemy's rear and from Kentucky. During this whole time, not so much as one wagon was lost. Whenever any part of his command could be spared from the front of the army, he would make rapid incursions into the lines of the enemy. On one of these, a short time prior to the retreat from Middle Tennessee, he succeeded in capturing two immense and val No less than twenty other steamboats, which were aground on Harpeth Shoals and guarded by gunboats, took fright, disgorged their valuable cargoes of army supplies into the muddy Cumberland, and steamed for safer quarters and deeper water. At Ashland, on the north bank of the river, the enemy had collected immense supplies of subsistence for his entire army. Although the waters of the Cumberland, much swollen by recent rains intervened, he swam his dauntless cavauable rail road trains on the same day. liers over, drove away the guards, compo. One on the Louisville and Nashville rail sed of a regiment of infantry, and destroyed road, and the other on the Nashville and stores covering several acres of ground. Murfreesboro rail road. With one of these, After this, having been joined by the com- he captured a large number of officers, fnmand of General Forrest, every force or cluding two colonels. Again this heroic the enemy on the river was driven into soldier is called upon to cover the retreat the forts at Dove closely pursued by our of our army, as it leaves the fertile lands - cavalry, who succeeded in capturing a ot that most hospitable and patriotic peofiue battery of brass rifle guns, a numbe.ple of Middle Tennessee, and seeks the of small arms, ammunition, a small n ine of the Tennessee river, at Chattanooof wagons, horses and mules, toge her winga, during which occurred the desperate one hundred prisoners. The garrison wa only saved by the arrival of a fleet. trans pores bringing General Granger's division of infantry as reinforcements. The whole encounter at Shelbyville, Although his character for the most dashing bravery and the amiable traits of the good officer, had shone forth upon many a well con |