[Illustration: FRANK E. BROWNELL, WHO KILLED THE ASSASSIN OF COLONEL
ELLSWORTH.

From a photograph in the Civil War collection of Mr. Robert Coster, by
whose permission it is here reproduced.]

Public interest constantly grew in the Zouaves and their young
captain. Large crowds attended every drill. The newspapers began to
report all their proceedings, and to comment upon them with more
or less malevolence; for military companies were treated with scant
respect in Western towns before the war. Ellsworth at last determined
to confront hostile opinion by giving a public exhibition of the
proficiency of his company on the Fourth of July. He was not without
trepidation. The night before the Fourth he wrote: "To-morrow will
be an eventful day to me; to-morrow I have to appear in a conspicuous
position before thousands of citizens--an immense number of whom,
without knowing me except by sight, are prejudiced against me.
To-morrow will demonstrate the truth or falsity of my assertion that
the citizens would encourage military companies if they were worthy
of respect." The result was an overwhelming success; and the young
soldier, after his feast of crackers the next night, wrote in
exultation: "Victory! And thank God!"

The Chicago "Tribune," which had previously been unfriendly to the
little company who were trying to make soldiers of themselves, gave
a long and flattering account of the performance, and said: "We but
express the opinion of all who saw the drill yesterday morning, when
we say this company cannot be surpassed this side of West Point."

Encouraged by this public applause, he brought his company of Zouaves