ar fellow," replied the
Captain, "do take another sip of that wine--it is delicious!" "But you
are ordered by General ---- to retire, Captain; and you are being cut
up." "Much obliged to you, my dear friend, but if you will only make
yourself comfortable for a few minutes, I will get some sardines and
crackers." "I must go," impatiently remarked the Lieutenant, mounting
his horse; "what shall I report to the General?" "Well, my dear fellow,
if you are determined to go, please present my compliments to General
---- and tell him that, owing to a previous engagement with General
----, I am under the necessity of informing him that before I leave this
spot I will see him in the neighborhood of a certain gentleman whose
name is not to be mentioned in polite society." So, at all events, goes
the story, and I presume we may believe as much or as little of it as we
please.

General Magruder, while our guest in our country home near Frederick, in
Maryland, related to me many interesting incidents connected with
Maury's career. The General seemed to possess an unusual appreciation of
the good things of life and told me with much gusto about the numerous
delicacies with which Mexico abounded. His descriptions served to
recall to my mind the fact that when he was in our regular army he had
the reputation of "faring sumptuously every day." When in command at
Newport, Rhode Island, he gave a ball, during which he employed the
services of some of the soldiers under his command for domestic
purposes, and for this act was reprimanded by the War Department. After
the Civil War he went to Texas and died in Houston in the winter of
1871. He was a brave soldier and was twice brevetted for gallantry and
meritorious conduct on the battlefields of the Mexican War.

General John B. Magruder and his brother, Captain George A. Magruder of
the Navy, who early in life became orphans, were brought up by their
maternal uncle, General James Bankhead, U.S.A. General "Jack" Magruder,
as he was usually called, developed rather lively traits of character,
while his younger brother George was so deeply religious that, during
his naval career, his nickname was "St. George of the Navy." When both
young men had reached manhood, General Bankhead read them a homily,
having special reference, however, to his nephew "Jack." "I have reared
you both with the utmost care and circumspection," he said, "but you,
John, have not my approval in many ways." Jack's respon