nt
of infantry was capable of uttering in a day for the benefit of such
passers-by, would fill a volume. As one thing or another in the dress of
the "subject" of their remarks attracted attention, they would shout,
"Come out of that hat!--you can't hide in thar!" "Come out of that coat,
come out--there's a man in it!" "Come out of them boots!" The infantry
seemed to know exactly what to say to torment cavalry and artillery, and
generally said it. If any one on the roadside was simple enough to
recognize and address by name a man in the ranks, the whole column would
kindly respond, and add all sorts of pleasant remarks, such as, "Halloa,
John, here's your brother!" "Bill! oh, Bill! here's your ma!" "Glad to
see you! How's your grandma?" "How d 'ye do!" "Come out of that 'biled
shirt'!"

Troops on the march were generally so cheerful and gay that an outsider,
looking on them as they marched, would hardly imagine how they suffered.
In summer time, the dust, combined with the heat, caused great
suffering. The nostrils of the men, filled with dust, became dry and
feverish, and even the throat did not escape. The "grit" was felt
between the teeth, and the eyes were rendered almost useless. There was
dust in eyes, mouth, ears, and hair. The shoes were full of sand, and
the dust, penetrating the clothes, and getting in at the neck, wrists,
and ankles, mixed with perspiration, produced an irritant almost as
active as cantharides. The heat was at times terrific, but the men
became greatly accustomed to it, and endured it with wonderful ease.
Their heavy woolen clothes were a great annoyance; tough linen or cotton
clothes would have been a great relief; indeed, there are many
objections to woolen clothing for soldiers, even in winter. The sun
produced great changes in the appearance of the men: their skins, tanned
to a dark brown or red, their hands black almost, and long uncut beard
and hair, burned to a strange color, made them barely recognizable to
the home folks.

If the dust and the heat were not on hand to annoy, their very able
substitutes were: mud, cold, rain, snow, hail and wind took their
places. Rain was the greatest discomfort a soldier could have; it was
more uncomfortable than the severest cold with clear weather. Wet
clothes, shoes, and blankets; wet meat and bread; wet feet and wet
ground; wet wood to burn, or rather not to burn; wet arms and
ammunition; wet ground to sleep on, mud to wade through, swollen cree