tain that the colonel and the chaplain had got
through with me, and I had come back to stay, and would be glad to
do any light work he might have for me. The captain heaved a sigh, as
though he was not particularly tickled to have me back, and told me to
fall in, in the rear of the company. I asked if I couldn't ride at the
head of the company. He said no, there was more room at the rear. I
tried to tell him that I was accustomed to riding at the head of the
regiment, but he told me to shut up my mouth and get back there, and I
got back, and fell in at the tail end of the company, with the cook and
an officer's servant, and the orderly sergeant came back and wanted to
know if the company had got to have me around again. Here was promotion
with a vengeance. From the proud pinnacle from which I had soared, as
chaplain's clerk, and colonel's orderly, I had dropped with one fell
swoop to the rear end of my company, and nobody wanted me, because I had
kicked against stealing hens in one instance, and burning buildings and
tearing up railroads in the other. We rode all day, and at night laid
down in the woods and slept, after eating the last of our rations. I
slept beside a log, and before going to sleep and after waking, I swore
by the great horn spoons I would not steal anything more while I was in
the army, nor do any damage to property. In the morning the soldiers had
scarcely a mouthful to eat, and an order was read to each company that
for three or four days it would be necessary to live off the country,
foraging for what we had to eat. I asked the captain what we would do
for something to eat if we didn't find anything in the country to gobble
up. He said we would starve. That was an encouraging prospect for a man
who had taken a solemn oath not to steal any more. I told the captain I
did not intend to steal any more, as I did not think it right. Then
he said I better begin to eat the halter off my horse, because leather
would be the only thing I would have to stay my stomach. The first day I
did not eat a mouthful, except half of a hard-tack that I had a quarrel
with my horse to get. In throwing the saddle on my horse, one solitary
hard-tack that was in the saddle-bag, fell out upon the ground, and the
horse picked it up. I did not know the hard-tack was in the saddle, and
when it fell upon the ground I was as astonished as I would have been
had a clap of thunder come from the clear sky, and when the horse went
for it,