they investigated "in a
horn." Igo remarked that, if they had waited until next morning to
make their report, things would have worked; but they foolishly went
into the presence of the General immediately upon their arrival; and
when they reported "Quar-hic-termaster Igo's busi-ness all-hic-sound,"
the General "couldn't see it," and dispatched another officer, who
could resist the blandishments of whisky-punch long enough to conduct
the investigation.

The result of this move was a rather tart request--from the
Quarter-master-General's Department--for Lieutenant Igo to send all
the papers belonging to his department to Washington, for adjustment;
a request which our friend complied with by heading up vouchers,
receipts, requisitions, etc., in an ammunition-keg, with a letter
stating that, inasmuch as the Department had a great many more clerks
at its command than he had, and were probably better acquainted with
the "biz" of making out quarterly reports or returns, they might be
able to understand how things stood between him and the Government;
confessing, at the same time, that he "couldn't make head or tail out
of the blasted figures." In due course of mail Igo received a
communication from the Department, informing him that if he did not
immediately send in his report for the quarter ending on the 31st of
October, he would find himself in Washington, under arrest. To this
Igo answered thus:

Sir--Yours of -- date received. Contents noted. I have long
been desirous of visiting the city of "magnificent
distances," but have not hitherto been able to realize
sufficient funds at any one time to gratify that desire; I
therefore gratefully avail myself of your obliging offer to
defray the expenses of my journey, and most respectfully
suggest the propriety of your "going on with your
rat-killing." I am, sir, your obedient servant,

MARTIN IGO,

Lieutenant and A. A. Q. M., 35th Ind. Vols.

This closed Igo's official correspondence with the Department at
Washington. He had the "_good luck_" to be captured by Morgan last
fall, and, of course, Morgan destroyed all his papers. That struck a
balance for him for the quarter ending last October. He had another
stroke of good fortune at Stone River, on the 1st of January, in
having a wagon captured. Of course, all his papers were in that
identical wagon. He was very indignant