to keep a sharp lookout. Then I
concluded to mount, but before I could do so I realized that it was too
late.

I was standing close by one of those old Virginia stone fences, about
five feet high, and in the darkness I saw an object creeping up on the
other side of the fence, close to it, and only a few feet from where I
stood. I immediately concluded that the object was a man, and that he
was from the enemy and was bent on capturing or killing the picket, so
as to surprise our camp. The most accessible weapon I had was my sabre.
I drew it and made a cut at what I conceived to be the man's head. As I
did so, the object disappeared behind the fence, and in its place
appeared what proved to be a black cat's tail, which in a flash
followed the cat. Although it was quite dark, the little black object
appearing between me and the sky was plainly visible. This incident
taught me a lesson that I never forgot. I mounted my horse, and never
was known afterward to dismount when on the picket line. I believe this
was the greatest fright I encountered during my whole four years' war
experience.

One more little incident, and a short tribute to the remarkable fidelity
of the colored people of the South to the Southern cause and the
families of their owners, and I shall have finished.

There was in my company a soldier by the name of Owens--Mason Owens. He
was a splendid fellow, quiet in his demeanor, brave in battle, always in
his place, whether that place was in the front or rear rank, but never
liked to do anything that called for disguise or deception, such as
acting as a spy or disguised as a Union soldier, in order to get into
the enemy's camp, although he recognized that it was necessary to have
men for work of this kind. Owens was very fond of me; in fact, I had no
more faithful friend in the army. He was continually with me, doing me
favors, sharing with me any delicacy that came into his possession,
keeping close by me in battle. Sometimes when the regiment would be
ordered to dismount for the purpose of engaging the foe on foot (and he
was No. 4, making it his duty to remain mounted and take care of Nos. 1,
2, and 3 horses), he would quickly dismount and take my place in the
ranks and leave me the care of the horses (a place few objected to
having), and many like favors. One afternoon, near night, our captain
said that he had a requisition for six picked men to do some hazardous
nightwork within the enemy's lines, just