any more of your
lip!" This was exceedingly gratifying, for it proved that at least two
of us were not yet "annihilated!"

During our sojourn at Tom's Brook the Confederates labored hard to
induce us to exchange our greenbacks for their paper currency. Our own
was sadly depreciated, one dollar of silver or gold being equal to two
of greenbacks; but one in United States paper was equal in purchasing
power to eight of theirs. They argued that our money would certainly be
forcibly taken from us by rapacious guards farther south, and kindly
offered us four for one. Sergeant Reed of the Provost Guard was quite a
character. Like Gratiano in _The Merchant of Venice_, he talked loud and
long, speaking "an infinite deal of nothing." He had a mania for
watches. He told me he now had twenty-seven which he had obtained from
Yankee prisoners, always paying them in good Confederate money. He set
his heart upon a little silver watch of mine, which he said he wished to
buy and present to one of his lady admirers. I asked:

"Why do they admire you?"

"Because of my bravery," he replied; "none but the brave deserve the
fair."

"If you are so brave, why are you back here? Why are you not at the
front?"

"Colonel, I've been in the forefront of the hottest battles. I've been
fearfully wounded. I'll be hanged if I haven't been one of the bravest
of the brave. Twice, Colonel, I was shot all into inch pieces; and so
now I'm put on light duty!"

On Thursday, the third day after our arrival, two "india-rubber men,"
circus performers, of the 22d Indiana Regiment, gave an exhibition of
"ground and lofty tumbling" for the entertainment of their fellow
prisoners. They had somehow contrived to retain the gaudy costume of the
ring. They were really skillful. While we were watching with interest
the acrobatic performance, a squadron of the Confederate General
Imboden's Cavalry dashed past us. Sergeant Reed, who had just made me an
offer for my watch, sprang to his feet, exclaiming: "I swear! there must
be a battle going on in front, for there goes Jimboden's Cavalry to the
rear! Sure sign! I'll be hanged if we ain't gettin' licked again!" We
had heard the cannonading in the distance, but paid little attention to
it. The Richmond papers, announcing that Fisher's Hill was impregnable
to the whole Yankee army, were said to have been received about an hour
before the heights were actually carried by storm. Again Early's army
was not captured, but s