lived many years after that day, a good and loyal
citizen. He was a brave and generous man, and had always treated our
prisoners with humanity whenever they had fallen into his hands. His
advice to his soldiers echoed the sentiments of the better class of the
rebels in the district at that time.

"We remained there the whole summer, always impatient to be mustered out
and return to our own homes, but never deviating from the orderly and
friendly position first taken. Many of the men formed friendships and
other connections that have lasted ever since. Some of them returned
after their muster out, and are still counted among the best citizens
of that state; some formed engagements with the country girls, and went
back to marry them. One of my young captains, a fine St. Paul boy,
brought with the regiment to Minneapolis, as his bride, the most
beautiful woman, as well as the most bitter rebel, of that portion of
Arkansas, and I am glad to say that, although she soon returned with her
gallant husband to her native state, where they still reside, she is
now, and has been ever since, as true and loyal to our banner and our
cause as any of our Northern wives and mothers.

"I would not have it understood that all our work was so pleasant and
peaceful. Sometimes we had to deal with tough cases of both sexes, and
then the iron hand of power was freely used to restrain, but seldom to
punish. As a relic of old slave times I will relate one incident of many
that came under my observation.

"One day a very tidy negro woman came and reported that her late master
had recently killed her husband. I sent for the former master. He was a
leading physician, a man of fine address and culture, who lived in an
elegant mansion near the city. He sat down and told me the story, nearly
word for word as the woman did. It was substantially as follows: Tom,
the negro, had been his body-servant since both were children, and,
since his freedom, still remained in the same service. Tom had a boy
about eight years old. This boy had done some mischief, and I (said the
doctor) called him in and gave him a good flogging. Tom was outside and
heard the boy scream, and after a while he pushed open the door and took
the boy from me, telling me that I had whipped him enough. He brought
the boy into his own cabin, and then started for town. I took my gun and
ran after him. When he saw me coming he started on a run and I shot him,
of course. 'Wouldn't you have