a loud tone of voice, which assured us that though
severely wounded, he was fast convalescing. The next day I saw the major
again. I could not discover that he was hurt at all from his appearance;
I think he bore up remarkably well. Since then, I noticed at the
inspection, and in the presence of the brigadier-general, he limped, and
seemed quite lame. I could not help thinking of our able major, who
endures his sufferings without a murmur, though severely wounded, and
contrasting this self-sacrificing spirit with some I hear of who, though
loudly defiant, and anxious to lead their men against the enemy, were
known to have run from the field in a "Devil take the hindmost" style,
reminding me of a passage in Shakspeare--a piece of advice suited to
their case--to wit,--

"Just doff that lion's hide,
And draw a calfskin round thy recreant limbs."

CHAPTER IV.

After the action of the 13th, our regiment selected a camping-ground a
short distance north of the spot we occupied the night before the
attack. The spot chosen was in a shallow valley, opening to the south,
among the stumps of trees, which had been lately cut by the different
regiments encamped in the immediate vicinity. We pitched our shelter
tents at first, but knowing the necessity of more adequate protection in
case of a storm, as soon as we recovered a little from the fatigues of
the past fortnight, we commenced to improve our situation as best we
could. Quite a number of the regiment had lost their tents in the fight.
The quartermaster managed, some ten days after, to get a few, and
distributed them. Still one-fourth of the regiment were without a
shelter. This class set to work, and made them a shelter of pine boughs,
which, though of little use in case of a storm, (which, by the way, held
off wonderfully,) were made very efficient while the dry weather
continued. Here, in camp, you might see some curious styles of
architecture, some of the men showing an appreciation of a comfortable
home, and a good deal of ingenuity in its construction. Others were
content with any thing, hardly making any effort at all, seeming to have
no anxiety or fear of storms, that might be expected at any time, and if
coming upon us at this time, would have caused an infinite amount of
suffering among this particular class, who, I am thinking, almost
deserved to feel the gripes, to repay them the want of a little anxiety
and forethought, in a matter evident