[190]
Captain Guzman, for he never neglects a chance to get information.
After we had been well fried and dusted, General Meade rose to go, but I budged not, for I knew he would sit down again.
He always rises twice or three times before he finally leaves Hancock.
By the time we got to camp, it was all ready and looked quite neat.
July 13, 1864
. . . I hear this evening that General Wright has been put in command of all forces to repel the invasion.1 But our attempt to bag the raiders may be somewhat like the domestic rural scene of surrounding an escaped pig in the vegetable garden.
Don't you know how half a dozen men will get in a circle about him, and then cautiously advance, with an expression of face between confidence and timidity?
The piggie stands still in the midst, with a small and a treacherous eye. Suddenly, picking out the weakest man, he makes an unexpected rush between his legs, upsets him, and canters away midst an impotent shower of sticks!
I suppose you think I take a very light view of things, but in reality I do not; only, after seeing so many fine men knocked over, this business of tearing up tracks and eating all the good wife's fresh butter seems of lesser consequence.
Another thing is, I hope it will do us good, sting us to the quick, and frighten us into a wholesome draft.
You must remember that this sort of raiding has been a continual and every-day thing in the southern country, though to us it seems to be so awful.
The mail man who came down to-night says they are in a great tremble at Washington, while down here we are pleasantly building bowers against the sun, and telling stories to wile away the time.
To these last our French