stration on his arrival at his old home, yet an immense concourse of citizens had assembled at the railroad-station to greet him, and they attested their sympathetic interest by earnest and continuous cheers. The Legislature, which was in session, passed a complimentary resolution inviting him to visit the Senate and the House of Representatives, in their respective chambers. All formalities were there dispensed with, the members thronged around the beloved hero, and the most cordial and heart-felt greetings were universally interchanged. Rhode Island welcomed him back to his old home, and told him to rest assured that time had only strengthened her admiration for him, as one of the noblest and best of her warrior-heroes. After remaining at home four days, he returned to Washington, hoping to have the command of his old Ninth Corps. Stopping at New York on the way, to attend the marriage of Maj. Ed. M. Neill, a member of his staff, he was also present at the meeting of the United States Christian Commission, where he made a brief, but effective speech, declaring that it was the duty of every man to stand by the administration and the government. "Soldiers," he said, "remember that while it is noble and grand to entertain personal friendship for their commander, it is ignominious to give a blind adherence to any man, or any specific line of policy. They are in the field to give their whole strength and energy in support of their government." President Lincoln, after several consultations with General Burnside, placed him in command of the Department of the Ohio. The Union cause was not then in a very promising condition in that vicinity. Kentucky, although nominally loyal, was only held in the Union by martial law, and was traversed from time to time by raiding bodies of rebel cavalry. Sympathizers with secession were boldly endeavoring to corrupt public sentiment in Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, and were threatening to liberate the rebel prisoners confined in various localities. It was expected that in the spring an attempt would be made to liberate East Tennessee, and the situation all around required great tact and skill on the part of the department commander. General Burnside, before leaving Washington for Ohio, requested, and was promised, that two divisions of his favorite Ninth Corps should be sent after him without delay. Arriving at Cincinnati on the 24th of March, 1863, the general issued the following order the next morning: HEADQUARTErs DepartmeNT OF THE OHIO, General Orders, No. 27. In accordance with the instructions from the general-in-chief, the undersigned hereby assumes command of the Department of the Ohio. A. E. BURNSIDE, Major-General Commanding. LEWIS RICHMOND, Assistant Adjutant-General. Serenaded by a large assemblage of citizens, General Burnside appeared on the balcony of the Burnet House, and was introduced by Major-General Wallace, who said it was an inexpressible pleasure to introduce the general to them. The great West," said he, "loves all her sons, of whom it is enough to say Ambrose Burnside is the truest and best." General Burnside was greeted with prolonged cheers, which having subsided, he said he begged to thank those present for the very kind reception they had given him. He considered it all the more complimentary as coming from the people of this section, from whom he had been absent many years. It was the more gratifying, too, because it indicated that, in the performance of his duties, they, without looking at results, had confidence in his having endeavored to discharge them faithfully and conscientiously. He came here (General Burnside said), actuated by the same motives. He came to them in full faith in the success of our cause. He had never, for one single moment, doubted its success. Since he had been in the service, he had had, as they well knew, as many dark hours as any soldier of the same military experience, but in the darkest moment he had not doubted the success of a cause founded on the right, against a rebellion founded upon fraud and deceit. He warned them that ambition was the vice of republics, against which they should fight as much as against deceit and fraud. Ours was a cause in which all should put their hearts. General Burnside, in conclusion, thanked them again for their attention, and was about retiring, when they called upon him to go on. He replied that he had not the faculty of making long speeches; if he had, he would address them for a half-hour with pleasure. He would rather fight than speak. Finding that treason had been at a premium and loyalty at a discount on both banks of the Ohio River, and that organizations for sustaining lines of communication to the enemy had been established, General Burnside issued the following order: HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE OHIO, General Orders, No. 38. The commanding general publishes, for the information of all concerned, that hereafter all persons found within our lines who commit acts for the benefit of the enemies of our country, will be tried as spies, or traitors, and if convicted, will suffer death. This order includes the following classes of persons: Carriers of secret mails. Writers of letters sent by secret mails. Secret recruiting-officers within the lines. Persons who have entered into an agreement to pass our lines for the purpose of joining the enemy. Persons found concealed within our lines belonging to the service of the enemy, and, in fact, all persons found improperly within our lines who could give private information to the enemy. All persons within our lines who harbor, protect, conceal, feed, clothe, or in any way aid the enemies of our country. The habit of declaring sympathies for the enemy will no longer be tolerated in this department. Persons committing such offences will be at once arrested, with a view to being tried as above stated, or sent beyond our lines into the lines of their friends. It must be distinctly understood that treason, expressed or implied, will not be tolerated in this department. All officers and soldiers are strictly charged with the execution of this order. By command of Maj.-Gen. A. E. BURNSIDE. LEWIS RICHMOND, Assistant Adjutant-General. General Burnside then went to Kentucky, where he issued such orders as secured the capture of the rebel General Pegram, and took steps to check the undercurrent of rebellious sentiment which had been flowing unchecked through the State. Returning to Ohio, he made a brief visit to Liberty, Ind., his birth-place, where he said, in a speech to the friends of his boyhood: "I have entered into the service from an honest conviction of duty. For all I am, I owe to my government; and I am ready to give all my services and my life, if necessary, to my country's cause. No patriot will do less because the government happens to be administered by an administration that is not of his choice. I was a supporter of the Buchanan administration, but when war was made upon my government, I felt it no less my duty to give it my support because |