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one of being at sea, and my chimney, for the first time got mad and actually smoked.
My only consolation was that the General's smoked a great deal worse.
He made quite a bon-mot at breakfast, despite the smoke: “Grant says the Confederates, in their endeavors to get men, have robbed the cradle and the grave; if that is the case, I must say their ghosts and babies fight very well!”
I did not fail to ride out and see the raiders come in. The head of the column arrived about noon, or an hour before.
I was much amused by a battery, the first thing that I met; one of the drivers was deeply intent on getting his pair of horses over a bad bridge, but, midst all his anxiety and pains on this head, he did not fail to keep tight hold of a very old rush-bottomed chair, which he carefully held in one hand!
How far he had brought it or what he meant to do with it, I know not, but his face wore an expression which said: “You may take my life but you can't have this very old rush-bottomed chair which I have been at much pains to steal.”
Then came the infantry, with a good deal of weary straggling, and looking pretty cold, poor fellows; then another battery spattered with mud; then a drove of beef cattle, in the midst of which marched cows, calves, and steers that never more will graze on Rebel farms.
Finally a posse of stragglers and ambulances and waggons, all putting the best speed on to get to a camping-place.
I pitied the poor bucks who, for six days, had endured every fatigue and hardship.
December 13, 1864
As the Rebels have known the fact for some time, and as the newspapers have hinted at it in unmistakable terms, I conceive there is no impropriety in my, saying that we have now with us the 6th Corps once again.
A week ago 