Year: 1861

Having somewhat recovered from my dis
astrous influx to Washington to Bull Run,
and discovered that my repulse was atogeth-
er owing to Col Miles | am sufficiently calm
to eat my two granite biscuit for breakfast,
and take the Oath as often any one doubts
my loyalty.


Speaking of Miles reminds me Of something
that occurred on the field of battle. | was
walking around at the back of the house to
see if it was Just like the front, when Fire
Zouave hailed me with,


Say, you sonny how many miles to the
Junction p


cooked my eye at him, and says /:


"Miles isn't TO the junction at all"


"Weli," says he, "if that isn't high old
grammar, Id just like to see worserer"


Don't be sassy, my cockolorum," says | :;
81 speak of Colonel Miles who takes the
Oath with a little sugar and a spoon. Hes
first person singular Pomnative case, to get
drunk I am drunk thou art drunk, lie is
drunk. Plural-we are drunk, you are
drunk, they are drunk"


With that the Zouave got mad and says
he:


Its my opine that you are sticking rather
too thick to the rear of that house to he much
punk,ns in a muss Why dent you go to the
front like MANI


"My boy" snysI, "this is the house of a
predominant rebel, and I'm detailed to watch
the back door"


With that the Zouave was taken with such
dreadful fit Of coughing that he had to
move On to get his breath, and | was left
alone once more.


Its astonishing. my boys, 10 see how hard
some of our officers take General Mcclellan 5
new orders. The Colonel of Regiment 5,
Mackerel Brigade. was so loyal before the
battle of Bull Run, that I've known him to
take the Oath twelve times a day and then
lay down on the sidewalk to reflect upon it
He is very reflective man, my boy and
sometimes falls into a reverie and the gutter
about the same time. Mcclellan says he
likes meditation. but thinks it it ought to be
confined to the camp; so he ordered the Col
onel to 90 to his quarters and break the
Oath The Oath is shaped like a tumbler,
called at the Colonels tent last night, and
found him trying to comb his hair with his
havelock on. He said that Mcclellan was a
tyrant, and then went to sleep with his head
in the wash BASIN The Mackerel Brigade is
so greatly demoraized that the men all
swear they won't 90 into fire again with
muskets that send smoke out of both ends at
the same time, and occasionally send the bar
rel along with the bullet. The pious people
say that these muskets didn't answer be-
cause they were fired on Sunday; but don't
see it,


Some chaps here are getting up a cavalry
regiment, and want a few more horses at
three dollars head One of the horses was
lost in a queer way last night: lie happened
to pass field of oats on the way to Alex
andria when he suddenly paused, reeled and
fell dead. He hadn't seen such a,thing for
such long time that the sight was too much
for him. Another of the animals was taken
with the staggers when he passed a load of
hay. and it took three straw beds to make
him strong again.


I'm glad to hear that General Scott will re-
ceive no more regiments consisting of one
Colonel, as that sort of military is apt to
have the panic when it comes to fighting.
Four of these regiments boarded in the same
house with me before the great battle, and
they got back to it before did Thea they
must have run fast, indeed said Scott, when
| told him of it, l believe him, my boy!


Yours, serenely, ORpuEUs c. KERR.
-Ne1o York MercurH