him, might, when his conduct was reviewed, make it appear that he had not himself acted as an officer on duty ought to have done; and he deeply lamented his unfortunate delay, caused by the treacherous negative of the rebel to the question whether an armed force had passed his house. True, it seemed that to have mistrusted his veracity before just cause of suspicion had occurred, would have implied an unwarrantable mistrust also of the officer on whose implicit obedience he relied. Fatal abuse of confidence! Survive he cannot, thought the General; and better for him so, since, if living, his fate would be a court-martial, and dismissal from the service with disgrace.
"This unhappy defeat," he observed to his aid-de-camp, "arising through the imprudence of Major Harrold, now numbered with the dead, in giving further audacity to the victorious rebels, instilling into them hopes of future success beyond their most sanguine expectations, cannot but entail the worst consequences.
Deeply grieved. Captain Curtis expressed poignant regret, and forcibly lamented that he had allowed himself to have been buoyed up with such high anticipations of victory as he had been the preceding evening.
"My dear Curtis," replied the General, taking
