Year: 1868

=. r.. 70:
waist, they were enjoying the luxury Of morning
bath and luxuriatng in the invigorating influences
of cold water, while half way up the hill, on the
roots of huge tree, Giles Shorter sat breaking his
fast and eyeing the employment of the youngsters
with the disdain of an old veteran, who had dis
carded, as juvenile follies, and inconsistent with
the habits of camp life, such thorough ablutions
as they still persevered in. =,


"Just look at them boys, Robin" said Giles to
his companion, who was seated by him, busy, like
wise, with the slender contents of his hayersack
They are green yet, and haint learned to take
camp life by the smooth handle. They want al
ways to look as if they had just stepped out of the
band-bo andit's nothing with them, the liyelong
day, but wash, scrub and dress Soap and water
and clean shirt, is their whole life. They are
like young colts that amt broke into harness
They haven't been in camp long enough to get the
wire edge taken off, never think fellow ID fit
to serve as soldier, until he has learned to wear
shirt three weeks, and to take the mud and dust
as it comes, without making hulaboo about soil
ed hands Now, just look at me-Ive learned to
bear such things I'm, as you may say, broken
in."S -,


ssYes, Giles" retorted Robin Lassiter. "You
take to dirt kindly. You look like an old clay
chimney turned wrong side outwards"


"Well, Robin, said Giles, apologeticaly, what s
the use of trying to keep clean2 It's an onpossi-
|bHty in camp, and it's labor thrown away to try it
It's ike washing a hog-the first mud puddle he
comes to viii show you what fool you made OF
yourself in throwing soap and labor away By
night, just take look at them boys and you will


find that they might as well let all this trouble a
lone. Itwouldn't surprise meat all, some of these
DAYS, to find them turning out with rufled shirts
on.


Ignorant of this colloquy, of which they formed
the subject, the young men soon finished their
morning bath and toilet and with the exhilarating
sensations which it inspires, withdrew space to
make their morning meal This had scarcely been
concluded, when word was passed that Captain Car
berry's Company was to be thrown out to the front
on picket duty; and with the promptnes> Of well
trained soldiers, the line was formed and hurried
forward, as if there was fierce work ahead await
ing them. They were deployed on the summit OF
aheayily timbered ridge, with valley behind them,
through which flowed one of those small, clear
brooks, which form almost net work in this por-
ton Of Virginia. The highway they were guard
ing, was the same along which the scouts had
passed the previous evening The station which
they occupied was about mile from the camp, and
there was only SQUAD of two or three mounted
men beyond them, to watch the road and give
timely notice of the approach of the enemy it his
columns should be seen advancing


Captain Carbery had orders to fire upon the en-
emy 8 advanced guards and, without making any
attempt to hold his position, to fall back gradually
until he should meet re-inforcements sent to assist
him Then, forming strong line Of skirmishers,
they were to retire slowly upon the railroad, where
the line of battle would be formed to meet the en-
|emy. .9g.. : - 80 z -,
Captain Carberry was no rigid military martinez,
and his men were suffered to lie at rest along the
ridge and pass the time at their pleasure, until
the moment for action should come. With his
portly form recined at length by the roadside, and
q group of his men lying around him, they pre-
sented the appearance rather of camp of free
and easy hunters, willing away the hours in socia'
bic eompanionship, than soldiers who might, in an
hours time, be engaged in terrible and bloody
conflict


Two or three hours passed on and there was still
no newsfrom thefront ASabbath stiffness brood,
ed over the scene, and the soft sunlight of early
Spring stole down upon the forest just decked out
in green foliage and fresh flowers. The gentle
breezes of May were stealing in soft whispers
through the magnificent oaks overhead, laden with
the perfumes of buds and flowers the skies over
head had the deep clear blue Of May, and Victor's
eyes he lay on the freshly springing grass and
gazed up towards the blue sky, seen, here and
there in patches through the green foliage-had
the soft and halfsaddened expression of one whose
thoughts are far away, musing, perhaps, of white
robed girls in the old school house, with the lowell
ness of May-mom in their faces, and the glad
ness of bright May-day in their laughing ringing
voices. -.


he heard not the jests that rang out from the
sociable group gathered around their leader; he
noted not how that worthy, with sober face, put
his follower, Giles Shorter, through all his PAGES
for the diversion of the crowd. Giles was made
to recount, over and over again, with indignant
emphasis, the wrong done him in mistaking him
Southern man, born and bred-a nullifier, Sc
cessionist, and soldier to boot-although beyond
the conscript age-for common cheating, swind
/ ling yankee pedder He gave the liquor scene II
the closet with infinite gusto and good nature, ano
alternated from wrath to laughing good humor, II
the course of his narrative, by transition quite
natural, yet quite as ludicrous as natural.


The sun rose high in the heavens, and yet the
quiet of the scene was undisturbed by any othel
sounds than those to which we have adverted


None Of the mounted scouts had as yet come in
and the opinion began to gain ground that the en-


emy, having met with so spirited resistance, hao
withdrawn his forces and given up his designs or


Petersburg. On the supposition that he still med


itated an attack, his hesitation and delay were un


ineligible. His only hope Of success was IL


moving forward promptly and resolutely, before re
Inducements should be sent forward for the relie


of the city. Under an imprcssion-which ever!


hour of delay served to strengthen-that the enc


my had retreated, the soldiers began to cast OF tn


seriousness they had manifested at an earlier hou


of the day, and the expression of anxiety and sus


pense, so natural to men in their situation, begal


to give place to cheerfulness and hilarity.


i It wanted not quite an hour to noon, when SOM


little stir and excitement was occasioned by the ap


pearance of three of the mounted scouts coming


down the road at leisurey pace, but frequent!


hating and turning their horses across the road
80 :, ,o,,oa ob;oot hnhind them