member being kept busy for two hours telling yarns and riddles, and
the next day was accused of borrowing a horse and leading him home. My
medical adviser, Dr. Wright, of the 35th Ohio, kept with me until the
roads forked, and then he _deviated_.

Yesterday I paid a visit to the lamented Bob McCook's "Old Ninth"
Regiment. The men are in splendid condition--the pride of the
division. They are noted as the most ingenious battalion in the Army
of the Cumberland. They have improvised a turning-shop, and
manufacture chessmen, checkers, and every variety of specimens in that
line. They have a flying-Dutchman, revolving swing, quoits, bag races,
etc., while the lovers of horse-racing and cock-fighting can be duly
amused every day in the week by members of the different regiments,
each tenacious of the fair fame of his favorite battalion. Last night
a fine game-cock, belonging to the 2d Minnesota, whipped one owned by
the 35th Ohio, and, as a matter of course, the 2d Minnesota are in
high glee, "crowing" over their chicken.

The 2d Minnesota, the 35th Ohio, and 9th Ohio Regiments are wedded.
Each will vie with the other for the laurels in case of a fight. We
have here, close at hand, the 17th, 31st, and 34th Ohio, besides those
already mentioned. Our force is adequate for all the rebels dare send
against us.

The voice of the boys is universally for the Union, against all
traitors, whether those who openly meet them in the field, or the more
dastardly coward that remains at home and backbites, and aids the
enemy by words of comfort, and spreading dissensions in the rear.

The soldiers are unanimous upon the war question. They want no
milk-and-water policy, and all they ask is, that the friends at home
will back them in the field. Let all, whether Democrat, Republican,
Abolitionist, or Pro-slavery, _unite_ upon the _Union_. Let us have
the Government sustained, regardless of all else. People at home have
no right to dictate to our leaders what policy they should pursue.
They are presumed to know what is best. If slavery falls, why
sympathize with the owners? What claims have they upon your
sympathies? A strange change has come over the people since former
years. One party accused the other, and all who were opposed to
slavery, as having "nigger on the brain." Now it is reversed. The
rebel sympathizer, the ultra pro-slavery man, is the individual who is
now troubled with this complaint.

Let us hope our whole people will be