es of oak, and
its neat farm houses, making up a most delightful landscape, now
descending into some green valley where babbling brooks danced over
pebbly beds, and now reining up to listen to the complaint of some
cottagers, who said that "the militia were robbing them of their pigs
and their poultry, and but for the old soldiers, who were perfect
gentlemen, they would be stripped of everything they had;" now fording
the bright waters of the Antietam, and anon halting to converse with
some group of men who were reclining beneath the shadow of some clump of
chestnuts or oaks, doing picket duty as amateurs, the party at length
arrived at the miller's house, nestled in a pleasant grove by the side
of the beautiful river. Here was the major, and here were the happy line
officers, and here was the main reserve of the left wing of the picket,
all exhibiting the most abundant good humor. Here, also, they found our
chaplain, and Chaplain Osborn, of the Forty-third New York. It was
evident, at a glance, that the reports of gay soldiering which had
reached the right of the line were in no way exaggerated. The miller
took the horses, and the party was ushered into the house, when the good
lady and her merry daughters welcomed them heartily. The miller brought
out his best wines and his biggest apples. The ladies were smiling, the
wines were good, and the apples delicious, and the hearts of the
soldiers were gladdened. The ladies retired, leaving the gentlemen in
possession of the airy sitting-room. They sung Old Hundred, and
Coronation, and Lenox, and Cambridge. Now our friend, Colonel Connor,
would lead off in a rollicking soldiers' song; then our chaplain would
follow with "Benny Havens, Oh!" and all would join in the chorus.
Chaplain Osborn, of the Forty-third, could tell a good story, and relish
a glass of wine; and so they passed a happy hour, singing and chatting,
till called to dinner, where the long table was loaded from the
abundance of the miller's stores. Dinner over, the company strolled
among the fruit trees and along the banks of the river; but at length,
as an end must come to all pleasures, our party, who had left the right
of the line in the morning, galloped back to their quarters, satisfied
that picket duty was not necessarily the most vexatious in the service.

The Forty-ninth was provost guard for the town, and a merry time the men
had of it. Here in the principal hotel, General Neill established his
head-qua