“You must imagine this blow to our family; I will not undertake to describe our distress. His mother almost lost her mind, and for several days she talked incessantly about Peter. She seemed to lose sight of all else. Seraine was deeply affected. She thought very much of Jackson, he being the one who brought about her union with Henry much sooner than, perhaps, it would have occurred.”
Just then Mrs. Wilson came in. We could see that she kept a close watch over Uncle Daniel. He took her in his arms and said:
“My darling, I was just speaking of the death of your Uncle Jackson.”
“Yes, Grandpa; I well remember when you and Uncle Henry came home from Washington with his remains; how we were all distressed; how Grandma's mind was affected; and how poor old Aunt Martha cried and spoke of him. I remember also that he was buried by the side of my poor father.”
She ceased speaking and wept and sobbed, and finally she took her grandpa by the hand and led him to his room.
CHAPTER XVIII.
OPERATIONS OF THE ARMY OF THE CENTER.—GEN. SHERWOOD'S
CAMPAIGN AGAINST GATE CITY.—HEAD'S ARMY DESTROYED.—GEN.
PAPSON'S GREAT VICTORIES AT FRANKTOWN AND NASHUA.
“We die that our country may survive.”—Lyon.
“General Silent was now in command of all the armies of the United States, having his Headquarters with the Army of the East, so that he might have the immediate supervision of it. Sherwood, having been placed in command of the Armies of the West, commenced organizing and concentrating his forces for the Spring campaign, under the general plan suggested by Silent and approved by the President and Secretary of War. The condition of things in the North was as heretofore described. Sherwood was kept continually on the alert, in order to meet the many raids that were being made in his Department.
“About the 1st of April, Gen. Forrester, with a large cavalry force, again moved north, marched between Big and Little Combination Rivers, and made his way unmolested to Paduah, and there assaulted the Union garrison held by Col. Heck, by whom he was badly beaten. He made his retreat, swinging around to Conception River, and following that down to Fort Pillston, which was held by a very small garrison of colored troops. After capturing the post the unfortunate troops were most barbarously and inhumanly butchered, no quarter being given. The poor colored soldiers and citizens were shot down like so many wild beasts. Some were killed while imploring their captors for mercy; others were tied to trees, fires built around them made of fagots, and in that way burned to death.