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shot at, that he seems not to be able to do without it, and so gallops along the picket line to rouse the foe to pop at him. Which reminds me of what Grant said (either by accident or on purpose). He had come out, with a great crowd of civilians, to ride round the lines.
Someone proposed to go out and visit the pickets.
“No,” said Grant, innocently, “no; if I take a crowd of civilians, the enemy may fire and some of the soldiers might get hurt!”
November 14, 1864
If doctors and quartermasters had not quarrelled, I should not have come unto sorrow; thus, a hospital was placed nigh to a place on the railroad where the quartermasters would fain have a platform.
“Move your tents,” said the quartermasters.
“We won't,” said the doctors.
“You shall,” retorted the quartermasters.
“We shan't,” reiterated the M. D's. The strife waxed hot. Inspectors were called: they inspected much and shook their heads; that being a negative conclusion, the Major-General Commanding the Army of the Potomac was appealed to, and he rode out to enter a fiat.
In riding out he took me, and I took a chill.
So confusion to all doctors and quartermasters!
But the former shall be forced to cure me and the latter to make me comfortable in mine house.
There came over, for a visit, the Colonel Russell, of the funny turn, who commands now a brigade of negro troops.
He has always something funny to relate of their manners and customs.
It would appear that his nigs were once relieved by troops of the 2d Corps, and, as both parties had just been paid off, the ivory and the ebony sat down to play poker, wherein the ebony was rapidly getting the better of their opponents.
The enemy meanwhile began to fire shells over the woods, but the players were too interested to leave 