I was thinking when I
swooned.

From then till I came to myself in the little church at Centreville I
remember nothing. Groaning men lay all about me; others stood between
them with lanterns. A woman was bending over me. I felt the gentle touch
of her hand upon my face and heard her speak to me so tenderly I cannot
think of it, even now, without thanking God for good women. I clung to
her hand, clung with the energy of one drowning, while I suffered the
merciful torture of the probe, the knife and the needle. And when it was
all over and the lantern lights grew pale in the dawn I fell asleep.

But enough of blood and horror. War is no holiday, my merry people, who
know not the mighty blessing of peace. Counting the cost, let us have
war, if necessary, but peace, peace if possible.

Chapter 40

But now I have better things to write of things that have some relish of
good in them. I was very weak and low from loss of blood for days,
and, suddenly, the tide turned. I had won recognition for distinguished
gallantry they told me--that day they took me to Washington. I lay three
weeks there in the hospital. As soon as they heard of my misfortune
at home Uncle Eb wrote he was coming to see me. I stopped him by a
telegram, assuring him that I was nearly well and would be home shortly.

My term of enlistment had expired when they let me out a fine day in
mid August. I was going home for a visit as sound as any man but, in
the horse talk of Faraway, I had a little 'blemish'on the left shoulder.
Uncle Eb was to meet me at the jersey City depot. Before going I, with
others who had been complimented for bravery, went to see the president.
There were some twenty of us summoned to meet him that day. It was warm
and the great Lincoln sat in his shirt-sleeves at a desk in the middle
of his big office. He wore a pair of brown carpet slippers, the rolling
collar and black stock now made so familiar in print. His hair was
tumbled. He was writing hurriedly when we came in. He laid his pen away
and turned to us without speaking. There was a careworn look upon his
solemn face.

'Mr President,' said the general, who had come with us, 'here are some
of the brave men of our army, whom you wished to see.

He came and shook hands with each and thanked us in the name of the
republic, for the example of courage and patriotism we and many others
had given to the army. He had a lean, tall, ungraceful figure and he
spoke his mind without a