of us, and that they had been roasted in some of
the fires. The children were hunting for the stray kernels of corn left
in the ashes, and were greedily eating them when found.

While waiting here for the wagon train to cross the river, several of us
went down to bathe. The lack of blankets and clothing among us had been
a hardship, and seeing the wagons crossing put an idea into my head.
Determining to test the scheme, I took one of my companions with me and
hunted around until we found Colonel Hill. He was as busy as a bee,
here, there and everywhere, and practically doing all the work himself.
Awaiting a favorable moment, we approached him, I assuming a
matter-of-fact manner, and, in a business-like way, saying:

"Colonel, our blankets and things are in one of those captured wagons
and we need them. Can you not send us under guard to look for them?"

"Certainly, certainly. Here, sergeant, send a couple of men with these
gentlemen, to help search the wagons and get their stuff for them," and
he was off in a rush to hurry up the crossing of the train.

Two men were detailed to accompany us, with instructions to help us to
get our things, and we started.

Going down the road into a strip of woods, and beyond a convenient
curve, we waited until a wagon reached us from the ferry boat.

Our guards halted the lumbering vehicle, which was heavily loaded with
captured goods of all kinds, and told me to get up and see if I could
find our stuff. The driver cursed and swore, but the leveled guns of our
escort brought him to terms, and he got down.

I entered the wagon, and found a miscellaneous assortment of personal
property, of which I appropriated all the blankets and clothing, as
well as a number of small articles, throwing them out in a heap at the
side of the road. In starting the thing my plan had been simply to get
some few blankets and a coat or two, but the ready permission and able
support had caused me to see the possibilities of the case, and I was
now prepared for a wholesale business.

Dismounting, I said to the guards:

"It isn't all here, boys; we had a big lot. These little things we don't
want as prisoners, so will just keep the blankets and clothes, and you
can have the rest. Here comes the next wagon; there may be more of our
stuff in it, so this fellow should be ordered to go on."

The two guards looked at me, then at the heap of plunder, then at each
other, and broke into broad grins of appreciat