t dignity
which is so beautiful in a baby. She hardly ever cried, and was not
at all timid. She would go to anybody, and yet did not encourage any
romping from any but the most intimate friends. She always wore a warm
long-sleeved scarlet cloak with a hood, and in this costume was
carried or "toted," as the soldiers said, all about the camp. At
"guard-mounting" in the morning, when the men who are to go on guard
duty for the day are drawn up to be inspected, Baby was always there, to
help inspect them. She did not say much, but she eyed them very
closely, and seemed fully to appreciate their bright buttons. Then the
Officer-of-the-Day, who appears at guard-mounting with his sword and
sash, and comes afterwards to the Colonel's tent for orders, would come
and speak to Baby on his way, and receive her orders first. When the
time came for drill she was usually present to watch the troops; and
when the drum beat for dinner she liked to see the long row of men in
each company march up to the cookhouse, in single file, each with tin
cup and plate.

During the day, in pleasant weather, she might be seen in her nurse's
arms, about the company streets, the centre of an admiring circle, her
scarlet costume looking very pretty amidst the shining black cheeks
and neat blue uniforms of the soldiers. At "dress-parade," just before
sunset, she was always an attendant. As I stood before the regiment, I
could see the little spot of red out of the corner of my eye, at one
end of the long line of men; and I looked with so much interest for her
small person, that, instead of saying at the proper time, "Attention,
Battalion! Shoulder arms!"--it is a wonder that I did not say, "Shoulder
babies!"

Our little lady was very impartial, and distributed her kind looks to
everybody. She had not the slightest prejudice against color, and did
not care in the least whether her particular friends were black or
white. Her especial favorites, I think, were the drummer-boys, who were
not my favorites by any means, for they were a roguish set of scamps,
and gave more trouble than all the grown men in the regiment. I think
Annie liked them because they were small, and made a noise, and had red
caps like her hood, and red facings on their jackets, and also because
they occasionally stood on their heads for her amusement. After
dress-parade the whole drum-corps would march to the great flag-staff,
and wait till just sunset-time, when they would beat "the re