the Rebels enlisted in the
Home-Guards and thus controlled the organization, carrying whole companies
into Price's ranks. In other cases bands of Rebels scoured the country,
went to the house of every Home-Guard, and took away his musket. In the
German settlements alone the Guards still preserve their organization and
their arms.

A few days ago it fell to the lot of our mess to entertain a Rebel officer
who had come in with a flag of truce. Strange to say, he was a New-Yorker,
and had a younger brother in one of the Indiana regiments. He was a
pleasant and courteous gentleman, albeit his faded dress, with its
red-flannel trimmings, did not indicate great prosperity in the enemy's
camp. We gave him the best meal we could command. I apologized because it
was no better. He replied,--"Make no apology, Sir. It is the best dinner I
have eaten these three months. I have campaigned it a good deal this
summer upon three ears of roast corn a day." He added,--"I never have
received a cent of pay. None of us have. We never expect to receive any."
This captain has already seen considerable service. He was at Booneville,
Carthage, Wilson's Creek, and Lexington. His descriptions of these
engagements were animated and interesting, his point of view presenting
matters in a novel light. He spoke particularly of a gunner stationed at
the first piece in Totten's battery, saying that his energy and coolness
made him one of the most conspicuous figures of the day. "Our
sharp-shooters did their best, but they failed to bring him down. There he
was all day long, doing his duty as if on parade." He also told us there
was no hard fighting at Lexington. "We knew," said he, "the place was
short of water, and so we spared our men, and waited for time to do the
work."

_Camp Lovejoy, October 7th._ For the last two days the troops have been
leaving Jefferson City, and the densely peopled hills are bare. This
morning, at seven o'clock, we began to break camp. There was no little
trouble and confusion in lowering the tents and packing the wagons. It
took us a long time to-day, but we shall soon get accustomed to it, and
become able to move more quickly. At noon we left Jefferson City, going
due west.

Out little column consists of three companies of the body-guard, numbering
about two hundred and fifty men, a battalion of sharp-shooters (infantry)
under Major Holman, one hundred and eighty strong, and the staff. The
march is in the following order.