laughing gleefully at his
successful withdrawal, a ball struck him upon the temple, and he fell
dead from his horse. Lieutenant Charles Allen, the gallant acting
Adjutant of the regiment, and Charles Haddox (his orderly), threw his
body upon his horse and carried it off under the hot fire.

Captain Castleman at once assumed command, and successfully conducted
the retreat. The supply of ammunition entirely gave out just after the
retreat was commenced.

Lieutenant Colonel Hutchinson was, beyond all comparison, the best field
officer in Morgan's division, and indeed that I ever saw. Had he lived
and been placed in situations favorable to the development of his
talent, he would, I firmly believe, have become competent to any
command. He had more natural military aptitude, was more instinctively
the soldier; than any man I have ever known. He did not exhibit a
marked partiality and gift for a particular class of military duties, so
much as a capacity and fitness for all. He could make himself thorough
in every thing which the service required. All that a soldier ought to
know, he seemed to learn easily--all the proper feelings of a soldier
seemed his natural impulses. General Morgan felt a warm and manly
admiration for him, and reposed an implicit confidence in his character
and ability. His brother officers loved to enhance his reputation, his
men idolized him. Hutchinson had the frank generous temper, and straight
forward, although shrewd, disposition which wins popularity with
soldiers. While watchful and strict in his discipline, he was kind to
his men, careful of their wants, and invariably shared their fare,
whatever it might be. He was born to be a soldier and to rank high among
soldiers. He loved the excitement of the game of war. He loved honor, as
a western man loves the free air of the prairies--it was his natural
element. It may seem to the general reader that I have extravagantly
eulogized him, but his old-comrades will, perhaps, think that I have
said too little. When killed he was barely twenty-four, but the effects
of exposure and the thoughtful expression of his eye made him appear
several years older. His great size and erect, soldierly bearing made
him a conspicuous figure at all times, and in battle he was superb.
Taller than all around him, his form, of immense muscular power, dilated
with stern excitement--always in the van--he looked, as he sat upon his
colossal gray charger, like some champion of a