a day's march. I wonder whether this
Grand Army of the Potomac wouldn't halt when about going into battle, to
see whether the men had their shoe-strings tied?"

The Adjutant had barely ceased, when the Inspecting officer, the ranking
Colonel of the Brigade, detailed specially for the duty, made his
appearance. He was a stout, full-faced man of fifty or upwards, with an
odd mixture in his manner of piety and pretension. Report had it that
his previous life had been one of change,--stock-jobber, note-shaver,
temperance lecturer, and exhorter--

"All things by turns, and nothing long."

The latter quality remained with him, and it was a rare chance that he
could pass a crowd of his men without bringing it into play. His
"talks," as the boys called them, were more admired than his tactics,
and from their tone of friendly familiarity, he was called by the
fatherly title of "Pap" by his Regiment, and known by that designation
throughout the Brigade.

The Regiment was rapidly formed for inspection, and after passing
through the ranks of the first Company, the Colonel pompously presented
himself before its centre, and with sober tones and solemn look,
delivered himself as follows:

"Boys, have your hearts right," the Colonel clapping, at the same time,
his right hand over his diaphragm. "If your hearts are right your
muskets will be bright." The men stared, the movement not being laid
down in the Regulations, and not exactly understanding the connexion
between the heart and a clean musket; but the Colonel continued, "the
heart is like the mainspring of a watch, if it beats right, the whole
man and all about him will be right. There is no danger of our failing
in this war, boys. We have a good cause to put our hearts in. The Rebels
have a bad cause, and their hearts cannot be right in it. Good hearts
make brave men, brave men win the battles. That's the reason, boys, why
we'll succeed."

"Can't see it!" sang out some irreverent fellow in the rear rank.

The Colonel didn't take the hint; but catching at the remark continued,
"You do not need to see it, boys, you can feel whether your heart is
right." This provoked a smile on the faces of the more intelligent of
the officers and men, which the Colonel noticed. "No laughing matter,
boys," he said emphatically, at the same time earnestly gesticulating,
"your lives, your country, and your honor depend upon right hearts." And
thus the old Colonel exhorted each Compa