Chapter 11: Florida again?
Let me revert once more to my diary, for a specimen of the sharp changes and sudden disappointments that may come to troops in service. But for a case or two of varioloid in the regiment, we should have taken part in the battle of Olustee, and should have had (as was reported) the right of the line. At any rate we should have shared the hard knocks and the glory, which were distributed pretty freely to the colored troops then and there. The diary will give, better than can any continuous narrative, our ups and downs of expectation in those days.Camp Shaw, Beaufort, S. C., February 7, 1864.
Great are the uncertainties of military orders!
Since our recall from Jacksonville we have had no such surprises as came to us on Wednesday night. It was our third day of a new tour of duty at the picket station.
We had just got nicely settled,--men well tented, with good floors, and in high spirits, officers at out-stations all happy, Mrs.- coming to stay with her husband, we at Headquarters just in order, house cleaned, mossgarlands up, camellias and jessamines in the tin washbasins, baby in bliss;--our usual run of visitors had just set in, two Beaufort captains and a surgeon had just risen from a late dinner after a flag of truce, General Saxton and his wife had driven away but an hour or two before, we were all sitting about busy, with a great fire blazing, Mrs. D. had just remarked triumphantly, “Last ” 