t service in his
peculiar style of warfare. He is a good and gallant soldier, though he
sometimes incurs ridicule by his harmless affectation and peculiarities.
The other day he rode through a Virginian town, his horse covered with
garlands of roses. He also departs considerably from the severe
simplicity of dress adopted by other Confederate generals; but no one
can deny that he is the right man in the right place. On a campaign, he
seems to roam over the country according to his own discretion, and
always gives a good account of himself, turning up at the right moment;
and hitherto he has never got himself into any serious trouble.

I rode to General Longstreet's camp, which is about two miles in the
direction of Williamsport, and consulted him about my difficulties with
regard to my leave. He was most good-natured about it, and advised me
under the circumstances to drive in the direction of Hancock; and, in
the event of being ill-treated on my way, to insist upon being taken
before the nearest U.S. officer of the highest rank, who would probably
protect me. I determined to take his advice at once; so I took leave of
him and of his officers. Longstreet is generally a very taciturn and
undemonstrative man, but he was quite affectionate in his farewell. His
last words were a hearty hope for the speedy termination of the war. All
his officers were equally kind in their expressions on my taking leave,
though the last sentence uttered by Latrobe was not entirely
reassuring--viz., "You may take your oath he'll be caught for a spy."

I then rode to General Lee's camp, and asked him for a pass to get
through his lines. We had a long talk together, and he told me of the
raid made by the enemy, for the express purpose of arresting his badly
wounded son (a Confederate Brigadier-General), who was lying in the
house of a relation in Virginia. They insisted upon carrying him off in
a litter, though he had never been out of bed, and had quite recently
been shot through the thigh. This seizure was evidently made for
purposes of retaliation. His life has since been threatened, in the
event of the South retaliating for Burnside's alleged military murders
in Kentucky. But few officers, however, speak of the Northerners with so
much moderation as General Lee; his extreme amiability seems to prevent
his speaking strongly against any one. I really felt quite sorry when I
said good-bye to so many gentlemen from whom I had received so much