le bit."

"What regiment do you belong to?"

"Sixth Ohio."

"Well, get back to your camp, quick!"

The boys, although they knew him well, took advantage of the fact that
the General displayed no insignia of his rank, and replied:

"They guessed they'd go down the road a bit, first."

"Come back! come back!" shouted the General. "How dare you disobey me?
Do you know who I am, you scoundrels?"

"No, I don't," said one of the boys; and then, looking impudently and
inquiringly into his face, said: "_Why! ain't you the wagon-master of
the 17th Indiana?_"

Nelson thought activity the best cure for "_ennui_," and consequently
kept his men busy. One day, calling his officers together, he ordered
them to prepare immediately for a regular, old-fashioned day's work;
"for," said he, "there has been so little work done here since the
rain set in, that I fear _drilling_ has fallen in the market; but if
we succeed in keeping up that article, I am sure _cotton_ must come
down."

He was exceedingly bitter in his denunciations of the London _Times_
and rebel British sympathizers, remarking to me, one evening, that he
was exceedingly anxious this war should speedily end, "for," said he,
"I would like nothing better than to see our people once more united
as a nation; and then I want fifty thousand men at my command, so that
I could march them to Canada, and go through those provinces like a
dose of croton."

I was present at the Galt House, in Louisville, when General Nelson
was shot by General Davis, and immediately telegraphed the sad news to
the daily press of Cincinnati. The following was my dispatch:

General Nelson Shot by General Davis.

Louisville, _September 29_.

Eds. Times: I just witnessed General Jeff C. Davis shoot
General Nelson. It occurred in the Galt House, in the entry
leading from the office. The wound is thought to be mortal.

Alf.

Later.--General Nelson Dead.

Louisville, _September 29_, 10 A.M.

General Nelson is dead. I will telegraph particulars as soon
as possible.

Alf.

THIRD DISPATCH.

Particulars of the Affair.

Louisville, _September 29_, 11 A.M.

Eds. Times: Jefferson C. Davis, of Indiana, went into the
Galt House, at half-past eight o'clock this morn