y all were
dressed either in grey or brown coats and felt hats. I was told that
even if a regiment was clothed in proper uniform by the Government, it
would become parti-coloured again in a week, as the soldiers preferred
wearing the coarse homespun jackets and trousers made by their mothers
and sisters at home. The Generals very wisely allow them to please
themselves in this respect, and insist only upon their arms and
accoutrements being kept in proper order. Most of the officers were
dressed in uniform which is neat and serviceable--viz., a bluish-grey
frock-coat of a colour similar to Austrian yagers. The infantry wear
blue facings, the artillery red, the doctors black, the staff white, and
the cavalry yellow; so it is impossible to mistake the branch of the
service to which an officer belongs--nor is it possible to mistake his
rank. A second lieutenant, first lieutenant, and captain, wear
respectively one, two, and three bars on the collar. A major,
lieutenant-colonel, and colonel, wear one, two, and three stars on the
collar.

Before the marching past of the brigade, many of the soldiers had taken
off their coats and marched past the General in their shirt-sleeves, on
account of the warmth. Most of them were armed with Enfield rifles
captured from the enemy. Many, however, had lost or thrown away their
bayonets, which they don't appear to value properly, as they assert that
they have never met any Yankees who would wait for that weapon. I
expressed a desire to see them form square, but it appeared they were
"not drilled to such a manoeuvre" (except square two deep). They said
the country did not admit of cavalry charges, even if the Yankee cavalry
had stomach to attempt it.

Each regiment carried a "battle-flag," blue, with a white border, on
which were inscribed the names "Belmont," "Shiloh," "Perryville,"
"Richmond, Ky.," and "Murfreesborough." They drilled tolerably well, and
an advance in line was remarkably good; but General Liddell had invented
several dodges of his own, for which he was reproved by General Hardee.

The review being over, the troops were harangued by Bishop Elliott in
an excellent address, partly religious, partly patriotic. He was
followed by a congress man of vulgar appearance, named Hanley, from
Arkansas, who delivered himself of a long and uninteresting political
oration, and ended by announcing himself as a candidate for re-election.
This speech seemed to me (and to others) particula