ot go, but was sent to the Division Hospital, here in Helena. I am now
well, and have come to you to request a permit to enable me to rejoin
my regiment."

The Major looked at me closely while I was speaking, and after I had
concluded he remained silent for a few seconds, still scrutinizing me
intently. Then he said, in a low and very kind tone: "Why, sergeant,
you are not able for duty, and won't be for some time. Stay here till
you get a little stronger."

His statement was a bitter disappointment to me. I stood there in
silence a little while, twisting and turning, with trembling hands, my
old faded and battered cap. I finally managed to say, "I want--to
go--to--my regiment;"--and here my lips began to tremble, and I got no
further. Now don't laugh at this. It was simply the case of a boy, weak
and broken down by illness, who was homesick to be with his comrades.
The Major did not immediately respond to my last remark, but continued
to look at me intently. Presently he picked up his pen, and said: "I am
inclined to think that the best medical treatment for you is to let you
go to your regiment;" and he thereupon wrote and handed me the permit,
which was quite brief, consisting only of a few lines. I thanked him,
and departed with a light heart.

I will digress here for a moment to chronicle, with deep sorrow, the
sad fate that ultimately befell the kind and noble surgeon, Maj. York.
While he, with his regiment, was home on veteran furlough, in March,
1864, an organized gang of Copperheads made a dastardly attack on some
of the soldiers of the regiment at Charleston, Illinois, and murdered
Maj. York and five privates, and also severely wounded the Colonel,
Greenville M. Mitchell, and three privates. (See Official Records, War
of the Rebellion, Serial No. 57, page 629, et seq.)

The war ended over half a century ago, and the feelings and passions
engendered thereby, as between the people of the Nation and those of
the late Confederate States, have well-nigh wholly subsided, which is
right. But nevertheless I will set it down here that in my opinion the
most "undesirable citizens" that ever have afflicted our country were
the traitorous, malignant breed that infested some portions of the
loyal States during the war, and were known as "Copperheads." The
rattlesnake gives warning before it strikes, but the copperhead snake,
of equally deadly venom, gives none, and the two-legged copperheads
invariably pursued the same