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of hours!
Would they pass the night?
if so, where put them, in a camp where two or three guests make a crowd?
Would they be fed?
Even this was a problem, unless we ordered the Commissary to open a dozen boxes of the best stearine candles.
However, General Meade at once orders the 6th Corps to parade, and gets hold of all the ambulances of the Staff, which are forthwith sent to the depot, after the serene Bears.
And soon the vehicles returned, with flat caps hanging out of all the openings.
Then the thing was to put them on horseback, as soon as possible, for it grew late in the day, already.
You have heard of “Jack on horseback,” and this was a most striking instance.
Each one sat on his McClellan saddle, as if doublereefing a topsail in a gale of wind.
Their pantaloons got up, and their flat caps shook over their ears; and they kept nearly tumbling off on one side and hoisting themselves up again by means of the pommel.
Meanwhile they were very merry and kept up a running fire of French, English and Russian.
The extraordinary cavalcade having reached a hill, near the ground, there was found an ambulance, which had brought such as did not wish to ride, including the. Captain, Bootekoff, who was the head feller.
He, however, was persuaded to mount my mare, while I remained in the carriage.
Thereupon the other carriage company were fired with a desire also to mount.
So a proper number of troopers were ordered to get down, and the Russians were boosted into their saddles, and the procession moved off; but suddenly--
A horseman darted from the crowdIt was a Muscovite, who had discovered that the pommel was a great thing to hold on to, and who had grasped the
Like lightning from a summer cloud.
