their saddles, so many enthusiastic individuals, of both sexes, were at the same time shaking them by the hand, catching hold of their garments, hugging their horses, and welcoming them in other violent styles. Charleston never witnessed such a scene before, or echoed so loudly to the cheers for ‘President Lincoln,’ the ‘Stars and Stripes,’ the ‘Yankee army,’ and other patriotic subjects, as it did on that memorable day. One would suppose that the people had gone mad with joy. It was a universal outburst of joy, and the little band of Yankees moved on with all the _éclat_ of most honored friends, instead of successful enemies and conquerors. Was this, indeed, the hotbed of treason; the very home of disloyalty and rebellion? None would have dreamed of it had they witnessed the reception of our flag and troops that day. It was the most wonderful display of loyalty and patriotism.” And thus, after all the terrific cannonading of four years, with the sufferings and death of the long siege, the “accursed city” fell without a battle for its possession. When the Confederate and Palmetto flags were raised on the walls of Fort Sumter in place of the dishonored banner of freedom, in the spring of 1861, the boastful Mayor of Charleston made a flaming speech, declaring that they should wave there forever!—that Southern independence was secure, and her career of glory begun. He assured the enthusiastic people, that if their ensigns were struck down they would be trailed in “a sea of blood!” We may leave him to his meditations while we join in the shouts of victory. Standing on the walls of Sumter, look away in the direction of General Sherman’s march. From Atlanta to the shattered fortress, in this campaign “our great victories were almost bloodless, and therefore the more joyous and the more memorable. Branchville fell by manœuvre, not by the costly price of heroic troops. The turning of Branchville was the signal for the evacuation of Charleston, and its capture was the capture of Charleston. It was as if Sherman, sixty two miles distant from Hardee, had sent him a telegraphic message to vacate the premises, and the notice was obeyed without question. “Ordinarily, one would have supposed that the streams which crossed Sherman’s path at every step would have been successfully contested. But he appears to have passed them without a day’s delay at any one. Of such vital importance was time to both parties—to the one, that he might make his combinations and concentrations; to the other, that he might break them—that no sacrifice would have seemed too great on the enemy’s part to ensure delay. But, at the very first show of resistance at a river crossing, our advance, not waiting for support, would dash into it, waist deep, with loud cheers, while the rest of the column hurried to flank the position above and below, and invariably in a few hours the enemy was in hot retreat.