hers, look a little
crestfallen, but strange to say many of them thought they were not
whipped, but "reckoned they mote be arter a while". Poor ignorance.

Chattanooga, Wednesday, May 17. Reveille sounded very early every
morning now. Begin to feel very well, think I can grind hard-tack enough
to keep the system going for a while. Nothing to read or do, so procured
a pass to see if I could not find some reading matter in town.

[Sidenote: 1865 A Dashing Prisoner]

Found Chattanooga literally filled with "gray backs" riding to and fro
at will. About two hundred came in this morning, a portion of Hardee's
Corps, the picked escort of Old Jeff. They followed him to Washington,
Ga., when he took it alone with a few friends, and left them to go and
receive their paroles, which they received at Atlanta, Ga. Many of them
were quite splendidly dressed, having the finest uniforms I have ever
seen with them. I talked with many of them in a friendly strain,
astonished to find them so ignorant of the history of the last year. But
most of them are heartily tired of war, and say they are willing to bide
the will of the United States, but fear Andy Johnson's severity. One
poor fellow in a sad strain said he "was going to the place where his
home once was, but God knows where it is now, I have not heard from any
of them for ten months." They were commanded by one of the most
desperate, wild-looking colonels I have ever seen, a fair representation
of the pictures we see of brigand chiefs or buccaneers. He wore a large,
warm, home-made cloak, plaited around the waist like an old fashioned
wammus, hanging clear to his heels, and a coarse white hat with a brim a
foot wide, and greasy hair below the shoulders. About evening six
hundred more came in.

Silver and gold is quite plenty. Dealers in town are reaping a harvest.
Scrip is useless, a newsboy hesitating to sell a paper for $100.00 of
it.

Chattanooga, Thursday, May 18. Yesterday's rain continued all day to-day
with slight interruptions. Groomed "Old Gray" which is about all I did.
A little before noon we turned out to see a battalion of the 13th
Tennessee. They march by in their grey. Still they come, thicker and
faster and more of them.

5 P. M. Rebel General Williams marched in at the head of the 1st, 2nd,
and 9th Kentucky, the 1st Brigade of Wheeler's Cavalry. They rode good
horses. At the bridge a line of blue flanked them on either side. They
rode along with downcast ey