nced upon at
midnight, taken at the point of the bayonet, and read by the flickering
light of the camp-fire.

Moved at two o'clock this afternoon. Reached Athens after nightfall, and
bivouacked on the Fair Ground.

13. Marched to Elk river. A great many negroes from the neighboring
plantations came to see us, among them an elderly colored man, whose
sanctimonious bearing indicated that he was a minister of the Gospel.
The boys insisted that he should preach to them, and, after some
hesitation, the old man mounted a stump, lined a hymn from memory, sang
it, and then commenced his discourse. He had not proceeded very far when
he uttered this sentence: "De good Lord He hab called me to preach de
Gospil. Many sinners hab been wakened by my poor words to de new life.
De Lord He hab been very kind to me, an' I can nebber pay Him fur all He
done fur me."

"Never pay the Lord?" broke in the boys; "never pay the Lord? Oh! you
wicked nigger! Just hear him! He says he is never going to pay the
Lord!"

The preacher endeavored to explain: the kindness and mercy of the Lord
had been so great that it was impossible for a poor sinner to make any
sufficient return; but the boys would accept no explanation. "Here,"
they shouted, "is a nigger who will not pay the Lord!" and they groaned
and cried, "Oh! Oh!" and swore that they never saw so wicked a man
before. Fortunately for the poor colored man, a Dutchman began to
interrogate him in broken English, and the two soon fell into a
discussion of some point in theology, when the boys espoused the negro's
side of the question, and insisted that the Dutchman was no match for
him in argument. Finally, by groans and hisses, they compelled the
Dutchman to abandon the controversy, leaving the colored man well
pleased that he had vanquished his opponent and re-established himself
in the good opinion of his hearers.

14. Resumed the march at two o'clock in the morning, and proceeded to a
point known as the Lower Ferry. Ascertaining here that the enemy had
recrossed the Tennessee, and was pushing southward, we abandoned pursuit
and turned to retrace our steps to Huntsville. Leaving the regiment in
command of Colonel Keifer, I accompanied General Mitchell on the return,
and reached camp a little after dark.

16. Appointed Provost Marshal of the city. Have been busy hearing all
sorts of complaints, signing passes for all sorts of persons, sending
guards to this and that place in the city, and d