"I rather suspect not."
"When do you think he left?"
"About the time Sumter was fired on, I fancy."
At last it dawned upon the planter's brain that the Fugitive Slave Law was void after the people drove out United States officers. He went sadly back to Sherman, and asked if there was no other method of recovering his chattels.
"None within my knowledge, sir."
"What can I do about it?"
"The law provided a remedy for you slaveholders in cases like this; but you were dissatisfied and smashed the machine. If you don't like your work, you had better set it to running again."
On the 7th and 8th of March, 1862, occurred the battle of Pea Ridge, in Arkansas. Our troops were commanded by General Curtis. Vandeveer's brigade made a forced march of forty-one miles between 2 o'clock a. m., and 10 p. m., in order to participate in the engagement. The fight was very severe, but the tenacity of the western soldiers finally routed the Rebels.
There chanced to be only one New York correspondent with Curtis's command. During the battle he was wounded by a fragment of shell. He sent forward his report, with calm complacency, presuming that it was exclusive.
Fictitious Battle Reports.