rapidly up, and as he passed me holding my musket at my shoulder, cried out in a pompous and insulting tone, “Why don't you come to a present?” I replied, “Why don't you wear your straps, then?” He pointed to the leaf on his coat and shouted, “Are you so blind that you can't see?” I did not present, however, and he passed on. It would have been a great satisfaction to have kicked him. The guards are appointed for twenty-four hours and are divided into three reliefs so that each man is on duty two hours, and off the next four. On retaking my post that night at ten o'clock the guard of the first relief told me, after giving the countersign, that there had been considerable alarm during his watch, on account of continual firing in the woods two or three miles distant, where our picket line was, that the long roll had been beaten several times, and as something was evidently wrong, it was necessary to be very careful. I determined to be on the alert, and a little excitement of the kind answered very well to prevent drowsiness. The night was extremely dark and every once in a while there would be a flash and report of musketry from the pickets. The Colonel and Major came down and stood by the gate over an hour, endeavoring to discover what could be the cause of the disturbance. Both thought it was very extraordinary, as the pickets would not certainly fire in that manner without some reason for it. They went outside a few paces and Lieutenant Richards came to me and enjoined upon me to be sure and challenge them as they returned. So upon their approach I cried, “Halt! who comes there?” “Oh nonsense,” said the Major, and passed in. The Colonel finally ordered two additional companies to be sent to the line and Company F to come down and sleep by the gate upon their arms. My two hours soon slipped away, I heard no more of the disturbance, and never knew
