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before me, but I have read it several times and feel substatitially sure of its contents.
In the present instance the work of these worthies appeared little less than miraculous.
They were apparently unconscious of danger and seemed to bear charmed lives.
When the pressure of the Federal sharpshooters became intolerable, the Texans would pass the word that it was time to go out “squirrel shooting.”
Then they would get up, yawn and stretch a little, load their rifles and take to the water, disappearing from view in the brush.
Then everything would be still a few minutes; then two or three shots, and the sputter of the sharpshooters would cease.
After a while the Texans would straggle back, and report how many “squirrels” they had got.
Notwithstanding this relief, or it may have been for the lack of it,--for our guns were separated by considerable distances,--one of our detachments broke down utterly from nervous tension and lack of rest.
I went in as one of the relief party to bring them out and take their places.
It was, of course, after nightfall, and some of these poor lads were sobbing in their broken sleep, like a crying child just before it sinks to rest.
It was really pathetic.
The men actually had to be supported to the ambulances sent down to bring them away.
Amongst the unpleasant experiences of these lines were the night attacks, or perhaps, to speak more accurately, I should say, the night alarms.
Down in these swamps at night it was incredibly dark and musketry never roared and reverberated as terribly anywhere else.
These exhibitions reached the dignity at least of fully developed “alarms.”
Especially was this the case when, one black night, a sudden outburst of fire-infantry, artillery, machine guns and all-stampeded a working party of some two hundred negroes who had just begun the much-needed strengthening of our very inadequate fortifications.
The working party not only fled themselves, but the frantic fugitives actually swept away with them a part of our infantry support.
I was sent back to the drivers' camp to see that the horses were harnessed and ready in case it should be necessary to
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