[67] famous; and the boys forgot their sore feet, and ceased to grumble because they had not eaten meat twice since Saturday .... Friday, April 17.—General Emory came up with me on the march the other day, and said, “Colonel, I am glad to see you. How is my old Thirty-eighth to-day? You did elegantly, elegantly.” I thanked him and said, “General, I am glad you are satisfied. We did what we could; but my regiment, deployed as skirmishers along a line of three fourths of a mile, could not take an equal length of earthworks.” The old fellow shrugged his shoulders, and with his pleasant smile said, in his prettiest way, “You did all that was expected of you, and more.” . . . . I think we did as well as any regiment in the corps would have done. Not to do so would have been disgraceful to us all, and I would not have my darling mother and loving little sister blush for me. . . . . May 3.—Dr. Ward and I are the only really tough ones. My knock — about out-door life tells now, and I don't wilt down like these shade-grown men. Perhaps my time will come, but certes I was never better than now. . . . . May 7.—It is very hard to blow up the weary wretches, and make them believe you are very savage, when you are overflowing with sympathy. . . . . May 8.—With the breaking up of slavery, which I hope will follow this war, possibly these great places may be shorn of their magnificence. I don't wonder the owners deprecate such a fate. I can't, however, sympathize with them. May all these results of the vile system vanish, say I. . . . . I am told that strong signs of Union feeling are found in this vicinity. I doubt all such yarns. The chivalry are not to be trusted..... Tuesday, May 26, 9 o'clock, A. M.—I have just had a stirring hour, occasioned by the arrival of Colonel Nelson with his native Louisianian (black) infantry, one thousand strong, who halted in our midst awhile, and attracted much attention. I was interested to see how my men would regard such neighbors, and was glad to see there was not much merriment and no contempt, even among the Irishmen. The general impression was that they were a fine lot of men, and will fight. Colonel Nelson and all his officers are convinced they are to distinguish themselves; and Nelson tells me he and his niggers, according to the programme, are to make the assault, and he has no doubt of his colors being taken into the town first. If they fight well, and Port Hudson falls, the great problem of “Will the blacks fight?” will be solved forever. It is a question
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