belongings and surroundings of the abandoned
dwellings. Notwithstanding our slow approach, the evidences of hasty
exit on the part of the inhabitants were abundant on all sides.
Warehouses filled with flour and tobacco were duly appreciated by the
men, while parlors floored in Brussels, and elegantly ornamented, were
in many instances wantonly destroyed.

"Tom," said a non-commissioned officer, addressing a private whom we
have before met in these pages, "where did you get that box?"

"Get it? Why I confiscated it. Just look at the beauties," and opening a
fine mahogany case, Tom disclosed a pair of highly finished duelling
pistols.

"What right have you to confiscate it?" retorted the Sergeant.

"It is contraband of war, and Rebel property. Record evidence of that.
Just look at this letter found with it," and Tom pulled out of an inside
pocket of his blouse a letter written in a most miserable scrawl,
assuring some "Dear Capting" of

"Here's my heart and here's my hand,
For the man who fit for Dixy land."

Monday passed in much the same manner. About 9 P. M. of that day the
Regiment, with others, was employed in throwing up breastworks, and
digging rifle-pits on the west of the town. Expecting to hold it on the
morrow against what they knew would be a terrible artillery fire, the
men worked faithfully, and by midnight, works strong as the ground would
admit of, were prepared. It was a perilous work; performed in the very
face of the enemy's pickets;--but was only an extensive ruse, as at 1 A.
M. we were quietly withdrawn and assigned a position in the left of the
town. The sidewalks were muddy, and disengaging shutters from the
windows, loose boards from fences,--anything to keep them above the
mud,--the men composed themselves for slumber. Before 2 o'clock an
excited Staff officer had the Brigade again in line, and after moving
and halting until 4 A. M., we crossed the lower bridge in much lighter
order than when we entered the place; for notwithstanding urgent
solicitations of officers, from Brigadier down, permission was refused
the men to obtain their knapsacks. Besides the loss of several thousand
dollars to the Government in blankets and overcoats, hundreds of
valuable knapsacks, and even money in considerable sums, were lost to
the men. The matter is all the more disgraceful when we consider the
abundance of time, and the fact, that details had been sent by the
Colonels to arrange the