th the warm
life-blood flowing from a hole in their foreheads, lying by the side of
the road. This was done to prevent the horses from falling into the
hands of the Confederates.

When we got in sight of the James river, the prisoners were halted in an
orchard, and rested there for an hour or so. Just over the fence were
some little pigs, with their tails curled around like a curl on a girl's
head, rooting around for something nice to eat. One of the prisoners
called to a Yankee to catch a pig and throw it over the fence. He at
once made a dive for the pigs and got one, and threw it to us. A great
crowd rushed for the pig, every fellow with a knife in his hand, and as
many as could get hold of the little fellow began cutting into his
anatomy. I had hold of one of the hind legs, and while we cut, the pig
squealed. I got a whole ham for my share. Of course, I shared it with my
comrades.

We gathered sticks and built little fires, and had a grand feast of
roast pig. My, it was sweet! There was neither ceremony, pepper nor
salt.

Soon after this banquet we were marched to the James river, put on a
steamer, and our empty stomachs filled to the brim with a good dinner.
The first course was good beef soup, thickened with vegetables. We
certainly enjoyed it. Then came roast beef and real baker's bread
(something we hadn't had for an age).

But to go back to Spottsylvania Courthouse. Grant's efforts to get to
Richmond by breaking through Lee's lines were as ineffectual there as
they had been in the Wilderness two days before. So he packed his grip
(so to speak) and made another move toward the James river.

These two battles, of course, had reduced his fighting forces
materially, but the Government at Washington kept filling up his ranks
and supplying him with every need. In fact, in one case particularly,
they sent him more war material than he could use, and rather than
encumber his march, he sent 100 cannon back to Washington, while the
poor Confeds had no such source of supply, and had to be content with
making the best of the material they had.

Gen. Lee moved his army in a parallel line with Grant's, and kept in his
front, ready to dispute his passage if he attempted to move forward.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 5: General Longstreet gives 63,998 as the total strength of
Lee's army in this campaign. Longstreet was severely wounded at the
Battle of the Wilderness by a bullet shot through the neck. Was carried
from the