t out the secret, and witticisms abounded
for a day or two, the mildest of which was the assertion that the
author of the alarm must have been "three sheets in the wind."

Another expedition was of more exciting character. For several days
before the arrival of Colonel Rust a reconnoissance had been planned in
the direction of the enemy's camp, and he finally consented to its being
carried out. By the energy of Major Corwin, of the Second South Carolina
Volunteers, aided by Mr. Holden, then a gunner on the Paul Jones, and
afterwards made captain in the same regiment, one of the ten-pound
Parrott guns had been mounted on a hand-car, for use on the railway.
This it was now proposed to bring into service. I took a large detail of
men from the two white regiments and from my own, and had instructions
to march as far as the four-mile station on the railway, if possible,
examine the country, and ascertain if the Rebel camp had been removed,
as was reported, beyond that distance. I was forbidden going any farther
from camp, or attacking the Rebel camp, as my force comprised half our
garrison, and should the town meanwhile be attacked from some other
direction, it would be in great danger.

I never shall forget the delight of that march through the open pine
barren, with occasional patches of uncertain swamp. The Eighth Maine,
under Lieutenant-Colonel Twichell, was on the right, the Sixth
Connecticut, under Major Meeker, on the left, and my own men, under
Major Strong, in the centre, having in charge the cannon, to which they
had been trained. Mr. Heron, from the John Adams, acted as gunner. The
mounted Rebel pickets retired before us through the woods, keeping
usually beyond range of the skirmishers, who in a long line--white,
black, white--were deployed transversely. For the first time I saw the
two colors fairly alternate on the military chessboard; it had been the
object of much labor and many dreams, and I liked the pattern at last.
Nothing was said about the novel fact by anybody,--it all seemed to come
as matter-of-course; there appeared to be no mutual distrust among the
men, and as for the officers, doubtless "each crow thought its own young
the whitest,"--I certainly did, although doing full justice to the eager
courage of the Northern portion of my command. Especially I watched with
pleasure the fresh delight of the Maine men, who had not, like the rest,
been previously in action, and who strode rapidly on with their