me out, and made
special inquiries about his wife and family. The General said that the
saddest sight of all was, that all these women and _children_ gave
promise to increase the number of slaves--girls eleven years old were
among these.

The Doctor called up the culprits and addressed the principal
offender. "Aleck," said he, "unless you submit to the mild punishment
of our plantation discipline, all order and discipline will be lost.
You know my rule. I have told you before, whenever you are not
satisfied, just say so, and I will let you go. What do you say, Aleck,
Bob, and Dick?"

Bowing very low, the darkeys said, "Well, den, massa, gib us de fibe
dollars and we go."

He turned pale, and, being utterly dumfounded, after regaining
himself, and _not giving_ them the money, said, "Be off, then!" He had
too much of the Southern chivalry to back out, and came away a wiser
if not a better man, but said "nary word" about convincing the
Abolition commissary.

CHAPTER XII.

General Schofield -- Colonel Durbin Ward -- Colonel Connell
-- Women in Breeches -- Another Incident of the War -- Negro
Sermon.

Triune, Tenn., _April 29, 1863_.

The last letter I wrote you was from the Missouri army. I am so
continually _flying_ around that I have won the cognomen of "the
kite." It is astonishing what a charm there is in camp life; boys that
have been away but a short time feel a craving to once more resume
their duties among their comrades. With me 'tis a great pleasure to
get back to the familiar faces of this splendid division.

Our new commander, General Schofield, is fast winning the devotion of
his troops; his policy in Missouri meeting the cordial approbation of
men and officers here. Leniency is played out; nothing but the most
extreme rigor of military law will bring these traitors to a
realization of the villainous stand they have taken. Nothing but the
driving of every enemy from our lines, as we go, will bring the
misguided citizen to his senses. The men and women, who have been
allowed so many privileges, have all along been acting as spies. A few
days since, a little boy, only eight years of age, was caught going
over to his "uncle Palmer's;" he said his mother wanted him to go
over and get a chicken, as the "sogers" ate all theirs up, and his
mother was sick. The picket was about to let the child pass, on such
an errand as that, and being such a small speci