ap, did such
effective work as would have delighted the "Little Corporal," himself.

The "Spencer" rifle was an invention brought to the notice of the
Ordnance Department about that time. Among the numerous "charges"
brought against James G. Blaine was one that he was interested in the
manufacture of this arm and in the contract for furnishing it to the
government. How much truth there may have been in the assertion I do not
know, but if Mr. Blaine was instrumental in bringing about the adoption
of the "Spencer" for the use of the Federal cavalry, he ought to have
had a vote of thanks by Congress, for a better gun had never been
issued, and if the entire army had been supplied with it the war could
not have lasted ninety days and Mr. Seward would have been a prophet.

The "Spencer" was a magazine gun carrying eight cartridges, all of which
could be discharged without taking the arm from the shoulder. It was
loaded at the breech and the act of throwing out an empty shell replaced
it with a fresh cartridge. Against such arms the old-fashioned
muzzle-loaders, with which the infantry was equipped, were ineffective.
The Michigan men were fortunate in being among the very first to receive
these repeating rifles which, after the first year in the field, were
exchanged for the carbine of the same make, a lighter arm and better
adapted for the use of cavalry.

CHAPTER IX

THE STAY IN WASHINGTON

The stay in Washington though brief, was monotonous. Time hung heavily
on our hands. And yet, it was not devoid of incident. There is, perhaps,
little of this that is worth recounting, of those things, at least, that
appeared on the surface. Had one been able to reach the penetralia--the
inmost recesses--of official and military life, he might have brought
away with him reminiscences that would make racy reading. But this
privilege was vouchsafed to but few, and they the elect. The logic of
war is, learn to obey and ask no questions.

One thing happened which came very near breaking up my troop, and
threatened to destroy the regiment itself. It was at that time difficult
to get recruits for the regulars. Citizen-soldiers preferred the
volunteers. But it was considered important to keep the regiments in the
regular army recruited up to the minimum, at least, and an order was
issued from the War Department permitting regular officers to recruit
from the ranks of the volunteers. It was a bad order, and, as soon as
tested, was