the brave fellows who performed the duty have in their
memory at least one animating picture of patriotic service. No enemy
appeared, and the skedaddle was spared. Different was the fortune of
the pickets who relieved ours if we may believe what some of our men,
who visited the place some days afterward, were informed by the
villagers. During the night the enemy made their appearance, the bell
was rung and the skedaddle enacted! Rebel troopers coming up were in
hot rage against the innocent residents, charging them with sounding
the alarm, seeming not to suspect that the pickets of the Yankee
militia could have shown such audacious enterprise. After dark we
returned to the fort, reaching it about midnight through rain and mud,
wet, hungry and weary.

_Sunday, 28th._--A day of animation in camp, and to the timid few one
of excitement and alarm. The troops in the fort are drawn up in line of
battle, and assigned positions at the breastworks, where arms are
stacked. The now dangerous guard-duty on the parapets is performed with
the usual alacrity and promptitude, some of us perhaps not realizing
the near presence of the enemy. There is great activity on every hand
to perfect the defences, and guard against sharpshooters. Squads of men
are sent out to cut down trees and destroy whatever may afford cover to
an enemy. A lady-resident sends up word that she does not wish to have
the trees about her house cut down, as she intends to stay, and wants
the trees to protect her against the shot. Our engineer, without
arresting the destructive process, sends back his compliments and
advises the unterrified female to remove herself and traps to the other
side of the river as expeditiously as possible.

It is an animating sight to watch from the parapet all these various
operations going on. The crackling of branches draws attention to
yonder tree which comes tumbling to the ground with a crash--others
follow rapidly and the axmen's blows resound on every side. On yonder
knoll a company of mowers are rapidly leveling the tall wheat. Here
inside the fort an artillery officer is drilling a squad in artillery
firing: and there a gang of contrabands, now for the first time, very
likely, receiving wages for their labor judging by the spirit they
throw into their work, are putting the finishing touches on the ditch
and parapet. Outside yonder a squad of men is tearing in pieces a twig
hut which workmen have built for their tools. And so th