Rensselaer Union, Volume 1, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 March 1869 — Yankee Strategy. [ARTICLE]

Yankee Strategy.

Attli'c battle of Rappahannock Station, after the stli Maine had gained possession of the works in their front, and were taking a whole brigade of Johnnies to the rear, Colonel Edwards? who- was gmgof the fir§j; to_ reach the rifle pits, took a few men from Company G and passed *on in quest of prisoners, supposing some might bo trying to get away in the darkness of the night. Following the line of fortifications down toward the river he saw before him a long line of troops in the rifle-pits. Finding that he was in a tight fix, he determined to put on-a bold face. ‘‘Where is the officer in command of these troops ?” demanded the gal 1 ant Colonel. “Ifrre!” answered a Colonel, was commnnding-a.rphpl brig. "adeT •“ail'd who are you, slrT’ ’ \ “My m.'me is Colonel Edwards, of the 6th Maine, and I demand you to snrrerfuer your company.” “I will eonfev -with my officers first,” replied the rebel officer. “Not a moment will I allow, sir,” said Colonel Edwards. “Don’t you see my columns advancing? (pointing to a large body of men marching over the hill, but who

were the rebdi prisoners, being marelufd to the rear.) Your forces on the right have all been captured, and your retreat is cut off,” and as the rebel commander hesitated, he continued: “Forward 1 sth Maine and 21st New York!” “I surrender, sir,” said the rebel commander, quickly. “Will you allow me the courtesy of retaining a sword that has never been dishonored V” “Yes, sir,” replied Colonel Edwards; “but I will take Jhe swords of these officers,” pointing to the Colonels by his side. % They were handed to him. “Now, order your men to lay down their arms, and pass to the rear with thisguard.” They obeyed, and a whole brigade of'Eouisianians, the famous sth and Bth among them, permitted themselves to be disarmed, and. marched t<? the rear as prisoners of war, by Colonel Edwards and less than a dozen men of his regiment, "'"A,pair of fonfl lovers in' New Or-' leans, tired of life and the persecution of cruel parents, tied their right hands together and leaped from a bridge with suicidal intent. But while the you|b went over the rail, thd maiden went under, and there they were found, dangling, and kick, tog, and screaming.

Daniel Webster as a Dead Beat. Don Piatt gossips to this effect about himself, Daniel Webster and a cabby: “I was at Washington the first -time, a green, awkward youth, given to unheard-of blunders, and liablo to abuse. Sharpers looking at me said: ‘Hen’s down —go for it! ’ A cab driver did. lie drove me in that funny old affair that had one horse in front and a door behind, and no end of rascality between in the person of the driver—he carried me, I say, from the depot to the hotel, and charged five dollars.— He could as well have charged me a hundred.. He had such a self-sat-isfied, insolent way, that he might have demanded my watch and pocket Bible and handkerchief— He might have taken my overcoat and called for my boots, and my first impression would have beea to yield up and hand over. I was such a downy cove, and he was so insolent.

“And this reminds me that the first time I saw the great New England expounder of the Constitution, Daniel Webster, lie was undergoing the same process of insolent exaction. Cabby had deposited the great embodiment—the two hundred pounds of meat, learning and eloquence—and then ventured to demand his fare. The god-like Daniel either had not the necessary coin, or declined to produce it, for he stalked over the pavement to the door, followed by the man who urged, vociferously, immediate liquidation. Suddenly Daniel turned on his steps, afid bringing to beaT his heavy brow and cavernous eyes upon the creature, said, in a deep, fearful voice: “‘Fellovy, do you dare to duti me? ’

“And the fellow sunk into his boots and retreated. “But I was not Daniel Webster so much then as I am now; so I meekly paid the five without remonstrance, but took upon the tablets of my memory the number, pf the robber’s cab. “Some days after—long enough for the fellow to forget me—l saw him driving along the avenue, and. I took my revenge. 1 called him to me, and told him I wished to visit Mount Vernon in time to take the evening train, and that I would pay him all of ten dollars. He worked it up to eighteen, to be paid if accomplished, and told me to jump in. I did so, and away we went at a lively rate of speed. On the first bit of smooth road I softly opened the door, hung to the step until I closed it, and then stepped off. I had the grim satisfaction of aeeiuK cabby diHfmbtiacin. ihadinu distance, suggesting to my mind the wild tradition of the ‘Flying Dutchman! ’ “Some friends, who happened to be on a visit to Mount Vernon that day, told me subsequently that they had encountered a profane cabman, who was offering to fetch back peoplfe at one dollar a hoad.”