y, and then
attempt to evade the service for which the bounty was given, is
despicable in the extreme. I am glad to know that no others of our
company had the least desire to follow this man's example.

"We passed through New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, but I can
give you little idea of either of these cities. The time we passed in
each was mostly during the hours of darkness, when there was little
opportunity of seeing anything.

"In Washington I was fortunate enough to see our worthy President. We
were marching down Pennsylvania Avenue at the time. On the opposite side
of the street we descried a very tall man, of slender figure, walking
thoughtfully along, not appearing to notice what was passing around him.

"The officer in command turned and said: 'Boys, look sharp. That is
Abraham Lincoln, across the way.'

"Of course, we all looked eagerly toward the man of whom we had heard so
much.

"I could not help thinking how great a responsibility rests upon this
man--to how great an extent the welfare and destinies of our beloved
country depend upon his patriotic course.

"As I noticed his features, which, plain as they are, bear the
unmistakable marks of a shrewd benevolence, and evince also, as I think,
acute and original powers of mind, I felt reassured. I could not help
saying to myself: 'This man is at least honest, and if he does not carry
us in safety through this tremendous crisis, it will not be for the lack
of an honest determination to do his duty.'

"And now let me attempt to give you a picture of our present situation,
with some account of the way we live.

"Our camp may appropriately be called 'Hut Village.' Imagine several
avenues lined with square log huts, surmounted by tent-coverings. The
logs are placed transversely, and are clipped at the ends, so as to fit
each other more compactly. In this way the interstices are made much
narrower than they would otherwise be. These, moreover, are filled in
with mud, which, as you have probably heard, is a staple production of
Virginia. This is a good protection against the cold, though it does not
give our dwellings a very elegant appearance.

"Around most of our huts shallow trenches are dug, to carry off the
water, thus diminishing the dampness. Most of the huts are not floored,
but mine, fortunately, is an exception to the general rule. My comrades
succeeded in obtaining some boards somewhere, and we are a little in
advance of our neighbors in