ok for any little incident that
might afford balm for our wounded feelings. Opportunities were plenty,
and many a cracked head bore testimony to the zeal with which the great
national issues were discussed.

About the middle of October, myself and a large number of other
convalescents started to rejoin our regiments, at the front. We went by
rail to Baltimore, and remained over night at Fort Federal Hill, to go
on by steamer, on the morrow. The "heavies," doing garrison duty here,
were accustomed to dealing with recruits, and counted on making them
step around in fine military style. This crowd was composed of men to
whom soldiering was no novelty, and they had no fancy for extras. Hence,
when they were ordered, with much pomp and assurance, to fall in line,
in front of the barracks that evening, for roll call, at nine o'clock,
there was something of a scene. The anathematical display has rarely
been equaled in modern times. Perhaps twenty-five men out of several
hundred at last took their place in a sort of line, with much gravity
and feigned decorum, playing green, standing in any thing but soldierly
attitude. Behind them, perched on the railing, windows, or wherever they
could best see the show, was about as unruly and uproarious a crowd as
could well be found. After vainly trying to bring order out of
confusion, the sergeant, in great disgust, began to call the roll. A
name is called:

"Here!"

"Here!"

"Here!"

On all sides the word "Here" is bellowed and screamed by a score of
voices. The face of the burly sergeant grows red with fury, but he
proceeds.

"John Smith."

Another chorus of hooting, jeering response, and then, in a momentary
lull of the hubbub, a stentorian voice solemnly announces:

"He's gone to ---- long ago."

This rather startling announcement is hailed with another outburst of
laughter, yells, and cat-calls, interjected with allusions to the
sergeant, which were far from complimentary. Finally, having exhausted
his extensive vocabulary of maledictions on that mob of obdurate
sinners, this patriotic officer took himself away, and the boys turned
in for the night.

The next forenoon we went on board a steamer, but did not start down the
bay till toward evening. The vessel may be called "steamer" as a matter
of courtesy. The thing went by steam, but I would not care to ship a
cargo of hogs on such a contrivance, unless they were of the kind that
ran violently down the mountain. During