CHAPTER III.
ASSUMING MALE ATTIRE.
A Wedding Anniversary. -- Preparing for my Husband's Departure for
the Seat of War. -- My Desire to accompany him. -- His Arguments
to dissuade me. -- My First Appearance in Public in Male Attire. -- A Bar-room Scene. -- Drinking Success to the Confederacy. -- My First Cigar. -- A Tour of the Gambling-Houses and Drinking-Saloons. -- The unpleasant Points of Camp Life set forth in strong Colors. -- Departure of my Husband. -- Donning Male Attire. -- My First Suit of Male Clothing. -- Description of my Disguise. -- The Practicability of a Woman disguising herself effectively. -- Some of the Features of Army Life. -- What Men think of Women Soldiers.
THE fifth anniversary of our wedding was celebrated in a very quiet fashion at the old Commercial Hotel, Memphis, Tennessee. We passed the day pretty much in our own room, packing trunks and preparing for my husband's departure for Richmond, where he expected to meet some of his old army friends, such as General Robert E. Lee, General Reynolds, Captain Bernard Bee, and Captain Cabell, who had linked their fortunes with those of the South. His hardest struggle had been to throw off the uniform he had so long worn; but, that deed having once been consummated, it was not difficult for me to persuade him to offer his sword to the South, especially when so many of his old friends of the United States army were arraying themselves in antagonism to the flag under which they had once fought. While preparing for his departure, on the anniversary of our wedding, we talked over the whole situation; and I can not tell how proud and delighted I felt when he attired him self in his elegant new gray uniform. He never looked hand-
52
