ssippi was low, and our progress up the river was
very slow. Two or three times our boat grounded on bars, and after
trying in vain to "spar off," had to wait until some other boat came
along, and pulled us off by main strength. Near Friar's Point, not far
below Helena, where there was a long, shallow bar, the captain of the
steamer took the precaution to lighten his boat by landing us all on
the west bank of the river, and we walked along the river's margin for
two or three miles to the head of the bar, where the boat came to the
shore, and took us on again. Our officers assured us that our thirty
days furlough would not begin until the day we arrived at Springfield,
so these delays did not worry us, and we endured them with much
composure.

On this entire homeward trip, on account of a matter that was purely
personal, I was in a state of nervous uneasiness and anxiety nearly all
the time. As heretofore stated, just a few days before starting home we
were paid six months' pay, and our veteran bounty, the amount I
received being $342.70. Several of the recruits and non-veterans whose
homes were in my neighborhood gave me different amounts that had been
paid them, with the request that I take this money home and hand it to
their fathers, or other persons they designated. So, when we started, I
had the most money on my person I ever had had before, and even since.
The exact amount is now forgotten, but it was something over fifteen
hundred dollars. Of nights I slept on the hurricane deck of the boat,
with the other boys, and in the day time was mingling constantly with
the enlisted men, and with all that money in my pocket. Of course, I
said nothing about it, and had cautioned the boys who trusted me with
this business also to say nothing, but whether they had all complied
with my request I didn't know. I kept the money (which, except a little
postal currency, was all in greenbacks) in my inside jacket pocket
during the day time, didn't take off my trousers at night, and then
stowed the bills on my person at a place--well, if a prowling hand had
invaded the locality, it would have waked me quick! But I finally got
home with all the money intact, duly paid the trust funds over to the
proper parties, and then felt greatly relieved.

When the regiment arrived at Springfield we stored our muskets and
accouterments in a public building, and then dispersed for our
respective homes. I arrived at the Stillwell home the following