d, 'Had you not better go with me to see General Stuart?'

"'I should reelly like ter git a sight of the gin'ral,' I quickly
replied, 'for I never seen a reel gin'ral in all my life.'

"I was soon in the presence of the general, who received me very
cordially. I found him to be a man a little above the medium height, and
fine looking. His features are very distinct in outline, his nose long
and sharp, his eye keen and restless. His complexion is florid and his
manners affable. I told him who I was and where I lived when at home.
'Wolfetown!' exclaimed the general, 'have not the Yankees a large
wagon-train there?' I told him they had; and then, turning to one of his
staff-officers, he said, 'I must have it; it would be a fine prize.'

"I noted his words and determined, if I possessed any Yankee wit, to
make use of it on this occasion.

"'Gin'ral,' said I, '_you all_ don't think of capterin' them are Yankee
wagons, do you?'

"'Why not? I have here five thousand cavalry and sixteen pieces of
artillery, and I understand the train is lightly guarded.'

"I saw that he had been properly informed, and I told him they came
there last evening with twelve big brass cannon and three regiments of
foot-soldiers, and if he was to try to go through the gap of the
mountain they would shoot all the cannon off right in the gap, and kill
all his horses and men. The general smiled at my naive answer, and said
I had a strange idea of war if I thought so many men would be killed at
once, and added that I would not be a very brave soldier. I replied that
many times I had felt like going into the Confederate army, but my
rheumatism kept me out.

"After a while the general concluded not to try the train, and I was
heartily glad, for he would have taken at least two hundred wagons
easily, as they were guarded by not more than three hundred men.

"He then gave orders to have the main body of his cavalry move towards
Green Castle; and I distinctly heard him give orders to the Major to
remain in town with fifty men as rearguard, and to send on the army
mail, which was expected there about six the next evening. I made up my
mind that it would be a small mail he would get, as I proposed to myself
to be postmaster for once.

"After seeing the general and his cavalry move out of town, I went
directly for my horse, which I had concealed in a safe place some
distance from the city, meanwhile surveying the ground to see which way
I could best com