r part of the day, and finally found him in possession of an
Indiana captain. It happened in this way: Captain Rupp, Thirteenth
Indiana, told his men he would give forty dollars for a _sesesh_ horse,
and they took my horse out of the pasture, delivered it to him, and got
the money. He rode the horse up the valley to Colonel Wagner's station,
and when he returned bragged considerably over his good luck; but about
dark Conway interviewed him on the subject, when a change came o'er the
spirit of his dream. Colonel Sullivan tells me the officers now talk to
Rupp about the fine points of his horse, ask to borrow him, and desire
to know when he proposes to ride again.

A little group of soldiers are sitting around a camp-fire, not far away,
entertaining each other with stories and otherwise. Just now one of them
lifts up his voice, and in a melancholy strain sings:

Somebody ---- "is weeping
For gallant Andy Gay,
Who now in death lies sleeping
On the field of Monterey."

While I write he strikes into another air, and these are the words as I
catch them:

"Come back, come back, my purty fair maid!
Ten thousand of my _jinture_ on you I will bestow
If you'll consent to marry me;
Oh, do not say me no."

But the maid is indifferent to _jintures_, and replies indignantly:

"Oh, hold your tongue, captain, your words are all in vain;
I have a handsome sweetheart now across the main,
And if I do not find him I'll mourn continuali."

More of this interesting dialogue between the captain and the pretty
fair maid I can not catch.

The sky is clear, but the night very dark. I do not contemplate my ride
to the picket posts with any great degree of pleasure. A cowardly
sentinel is more likely to shoot at you than a brave one. The fears of
the former do not give him time to consider whether the person advancing
is friend or foe.

3. We hear of the enemy daily. Colonel Kimball, on the mountain, and
Colonel Wagner, up the valley, are both in hourly expectation of an
attack. The enemy, encouraged by his successes at Manassas, will
probably attempt to retrieve his losses in Western Virginia.

4. At one o'clock P. M. General Reynolds sent for me. Two of Colonel
Wagner's companies had been surrounded, and an attack on Wagner's
position expected to-night. The enemy reported three thousand strong.
He desired me to sen