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The first day of 1863 was one of deep interest and anxiety, both to North and South. The one hundred days' had expired, and this was the birthday of freedom to the slaves. Believing that it would come, long and patiently the negroes had waited for this glad time. On the last night of the old year, the last night of slavery, all over the South they waited, on bended knees, for the clock to strike the hour of midnight; and at the last stroke they thanked God for liberty. Earnestly they poured out their broken prayers for "Massa Linkum." So slavery passed, “as a tale that is told."

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CHAPTER XXI.

THE STUFF THAT HEROES ARE MADE OF.

SPIDER weaves his web to catch his prey so the

two armies, Union and Confederate, were trying to entangle each other in the meshes of their military fly-traps. With what success their efforts were crowned, we shall see.

While General Grant was fighting the battle of Shiloh, General O. M. Mitchel, who commanded a division under Buell, was taking possession of Huntsville, Alabama. By skilful management the town was captured without the loss of a single life.

Huntsville is on the Memphis and Charleston Railway, to the west of Chattanooga. General Mitchel pushed on from Shelbyville till within eight miles of the coveted town. Here he bivouacked. His tired soldiers slept soundly while their leader watched. Soon after the moon went down, the sleepers were wakened and the march began. A force of artillery and cavalry led the way, followed by Turchin's brigade. A company of workmen, well guarded and supplied with the necessary tools, were sent to tear up the railway at either end of Huntsville. They all moved very quietly as they neared the slumbering town; and the last order given was, "Now, boys, perfect silence! Straight forward, and let not the enemy know that you are coming by any sound whatever." It must have been very startling in those times to be wakened by the tramp of horses' feet in the quiet streets. And it would be hard to imagine

more terrified people than were the inhabitants of Huntsville when they found out that the dreaded and detested Yankees had taken forcible possession of town, telegraph, and railway. "Seventeen locomotives and more than one hundred passenger-cars" were taken, besides prisoners and all kinds of supplies. This movement secured the possession of the Memphis and Charleston Railway as far westward as Tuscumbia.

General Mitchel received the rank of Major-General of Volunteers for his brilliant exploit. He entered the military academy, at West Point, a poor boy, where he was a classmate of General Robert E. Lee. He was graduated with honor, and at the outbreak of the Rebellion he had become a famous astronomer. Some of you may already be acquainted with text-books upon that science which came from his pen. General Mitchel re-entered the army in the summer of 1861.

As will be seen by a glance at the map, it became necessary to cut the railway between Chattanooga and Atlanta, Georgia, to prevent re-enforcements and supplies from being sent to Chattanooga. To accomplish this difficult task, a secret expedition was sent out. Disguised as Confederates, twentytwo "picked men," led by J. J. Andrews, started on foot for Georgia. Of course they had to go through the Confederate lines, and over very rough mountain roads, braving dangers seen and unseen. Nor did they go in company, which would have excited curiosity, and led to detection, but in squads of three or four. On the 7th of April they were all together at Chattanooga, and the same night they slept at Marietta.

On that day Mitchel had captured Huntsville. The next day, while the engineer and conductor of the northwardbound train were breakfasting at Big Shanty, eight miles north of Marietta, the band of raiders quietly uncoupled the engine and three baggage-cars; and away they went, "over