ts thirty years' war; and
there is something of the rapidity and the instantaneousness of the
electric telegraph in its history.

Here I am, sitting in camp, and writing like a schoolmaster. But it has
done me good. I feel collected, refreshed, and strengthened while
turning my thoughts to you.

[Roland to the Professorin.]

We have been beaten! Mother, we have been beaten! Eric consoles me and
consoles us all; he says that it is good for us, we must learn to stand
the brunt. Well, I will learn.

(Eric's Postscript.) Mother! I found these lines which Roland left
behind, and I send them to you. Roland is missing, and has either
fallen or been taken prisoner; he has borne himself bravely, and had
been promoted to be an officer. O my Roland!

[Eric to Weidmann.]

In Camp.

The great, the necessary step has been taken; the negroes have been
called to serve in the army, and we have enlisted in a negro
regiment,--Roland, Hermann, and I. Now the contest is for the first
time complete. The negroes show themselves willing and docile, and are
always merry. This discipline of the army is an excellent preparatory
school for life.

We have learned from one of our spies that a man who calls himself
Banfield, but who from the description I think is Sonnenkamp, is in the
army in front of us, and with him there is a woman in man's dress, a
great beauty, who receives the homage of all. I had hoped that he would
enter the Navy; it is horrible to me that he and his son are now
fighting in hostile ranks, so directly face to face with each other. I
trust that Roland will hear nothing of it.

But it is very pleasant to see the beautiful comradeship of Roland and
your grand-nephew, Hermann; they are inseparable.

[Roland to the Professorin.]

The final step has been taken. Eric, Hermann, and I have enlisted in a
black regiment. This, is just what I wanted. I may be allowed to say it
to you, these bondmen now struggling for a manhood which would not have
been accorded to them in peace, they love me. I think of Parker's word.
Oh, what a day that was when I heard his name from you for the first
time, there going out of church, and then----

Forward! this is now our watchword; there must be no looking back now.
One thing more. I have found a friend, and a better one you could not
have wished for me out of