nd reduce my
proud flesh, that had appeared on me by my sudden promotion, it had the
desired effect, for before night I was as humble an amateur officer as
ever lived. I had chopped down trees until my hands were blistered, and
had shoveled dirt until my back was broke, and at night returned to my
tent too tired to eat supper, and went to bed too weary and disgusted to
sleep. And that was my first day as a commissioned officer.

CHAPTER XVIII.

My Sickness and Hospital Experiences Have Spoiled Me for a
Soldier--I Am Full of Charity, and Hope the War Will Cease--
We Have a Grand Attack--The Battle Lasted Ten Minutes--The
Rebel Angel's Brother is Captured.

I became satisfied, more each day, that my sickness, and experience in
the hospital, had spoiled me for a soldier. Being attended to so kindly
by a rebel girl and getting acquainted with her people, and hearing her
mother pray earnestly that the bloodshed might cease, sort of knocked
what little fight there was in me, out, and I didn't hanker any more
for blood. It seemed to me as though I could meet any rebel on top of
earth, and shake hands with him, and ask him to share my tent, and help
eat my rations.

The fact of being promoted to a commissioned office, didn't make me feel
half as good as I thought it was going to, and I found myself wishing I
could be a he sister of charity, or something that did not have to
shoot a gun, or go into any fight. I got so I didn't care whether my
commission ever arrived or not. The idea of respectable men going out to
hunt each other, like game, became ridiculous to me, and I wondered why
the statesmen of the North and South did not get together and agree
on some sort of a compromise, and have the fighting stop. I would have
agreed to anything, only, of course, whatever arrangement was made, it
must be understood that the South had no right to secede. Then I would
think, Why, that is all the South is fighting for, and if they concede
that they are wrong it is the same as though they were whipped, and of
course they could not agree to that. I tried to think out lots of ways
to wind the business up without fighting any more, but all the plans
I made, maintained that our side was right, and I concluded to give
up worrying about it. But I made up my mind that I would not fight any
more. I was still weak from sickness, and there was no fight in me. I
thought this over a good deal, and concluded that if I was