our offices in tears of disappointment,
unless we could find for them a position as drummers and buglers.

A single instance of enlistment under my observation might be mentioned,
as it gives a specimen of the manner in which our work went on. Having
taken passage on the cars one day from one point of my labors to
another, I fell in with a young man who was on his way to college, where
he expected to be matriculated the following day. His valise was full of
books and other students' requisites, and his heart full of literary
ambition. Attracted to me by my uniform, he soon learned my business,
and, after a few moments of pensiveness, to my surprise, he told me to
inscribe his name among my recruits. Then turning to a friend on board
the car, he said, "Take this trunk to my home, and tell my mother I have
enlisted in a cavalry regiment."

_December 4._--To-day I returned from recruiting service, bringing with
me our enlisted men who had not been sent previously to the regiment. I
found the Harris Light occupying Camp Palmer, on Arlington Heights, the
confiscated property of the Rebel General Robert E. Lee. On arriving in
camp I found that the papers from Washington contained a letter of
Secretary Seward, directing General McClellan not to return to their
former owners contrabands in our lines. This order, when fully
understood by our colored friends, will undoubtedly increase their exit
"from Egypt," as many of them style their escape from bondage. The
government will probably adopt measures to give these fugitives
systematic assistance and labor, that they may be of use to us. Already
I find that a goodly number of our officers have adopted them for cooks
and hostlers, in which positions they certainly excel; and there is no
good reason why we may not employ them as teamsters on our trains and
helpers in our trenches. They are generally very powerful, and show
signs of great endurance. Nor do we find them unwilling to labor, as we
have been so often told they were. However, we do not wonder much that
they have acquired the "reputation" of being lazy, for what but a thing
or an animal could take pleasure in unrequited toil? Now they have a
personal interest, and take a peculiar delight in what they do for us.
Their great willingness and ability to work for Uncle Sam or any of his
boys, would indicate that they will become eminently useful in the
service of their country.

From Camp Palmer the regiment had gone out to d