er on furlough, and if not questioned too closely might
succeed.

On the morning of May 26th I had made all the arrangements possible
for the welfare of my patients, and passing through I looked each in
the face, as a kindly farewell on my part, to which they might
return their adieu some days after, when they "found me missing." I
charged young Dr. Reese to take good care of the men till I
returned, as I thought of taking my horses up the Alabama river to
place them on a farm for pasture. Taking a last look at the
beautiful town of Selma, with a suppressed sigh that I should no
more enjoy the society of its fair ladies, I embarked on the _Great
Republic_ for Montgomery, the capital of the State, and for a time
the capital of the Confederacy. I reached this point in the evening,
having made sixty-five miles toward the north star. I remained at
Montgomery over night, and managed to obtain a military pass and
transportation from this point to Chattanooga, which was now in
possession of a large force of Confederate cavalry, organizing
themselves into guerrilla bands, while the Federal forces held the
north side of the Tennessee. While here it seemed necessary to
exchange my Confederate money into gold, as the only sure means of
paying my way when I should reach the Federal lines. But this was
not easily effected. The Confederates sent their gold to Europe by
millions to buy arms and munitions of war, relying upon the
patriotism of the people to keep up the credit of the national
currency; and lest brokers should undertake to depreciate it, they
passed a law imposing a heavy penalty upon any one who should
discount Confederate notes. For a time this succeeded in keeping up
the credit of the circulating medium; but all gold disappeared, and
silver change was unknown. But as I must have gold, I walked into a
broker's office and stated that I wished to purchase seven ounces of
gold, and exhibited a roll of Confederate notes. After a little
figuring, he said seven ounces would cost me two hundred and seventy
dollars of my money. I replied, "Weigh it out."

"Bullion or coin?"

I answered that coin was more convenient to carry. The coin was
weighed, and I retired, wondering if anybody had broken the law
forbidding the discount of Confederate scrip.

After leaving Montgomery by the railroad train for Chattanooga on
the morning of the 27th, I fell in with a soldier whose name I must
for the sake of his family, who showed me g