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SENTINELS DIVIDE THE SHEEP.

sheep walked leisurely along the bank of the stream, on the rebel side. A rebel vedette fired and killed the sheep, and, dropping his gun, he rushed forward to secure his prize. In an instant he was covered by a gun in the hands of a Union vedette, who said, in a tone that carried conviction with it, "Divide is the word, or you are a dead Johnny!" "Johnny Reb” assented to the proposition, and there, between the two skirmish lines, the rebel soldier skinned the sheep, took half of it, moved back to his post, and resumed his musket. His challenger in turn dropped his gun, crossed the rivulet, lifted to his shoulder the other half of the sheep, waded back to his line, resumed his gun and the duties of his position amid the hearty cheers of his comrades, who expected to help him eat it.

During one of the eventful nights through which we have been passing, when we lay in line of battle. behind our temporary fortifications, and the continuous crack of the sharpshooter's rifle rolled along the front, a solitary, ringing tenor voice struck up the stirring song, "Rally round the flag, boys!" Almost instantly, thousands of men, who seemed to have been waiting for that or something else to dissipate the gloom engendered by the carnage of the day, joined in the melody. The volume of voice with which they rendered the chorus shook the very forests about us:

"The Union forever, hurrah, boys, hurrah!

Down with the traitor, and up with the star!"

The chorus was repeated, the whole line joining in it, until the refrain swelled into one vast exultant roar, which flung defiance to the enemy, who sent

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showers of bullets in the direction of the music, but the missiles whizzed harmlessly by. Our men were immensely inspired by the music, and it was very evident that the Johnny Rebs were equally irritated by it.

I have been having a talk with rebel pickets in front. They will trade anything for coffee and sugar, will take greenbacks for tobacco, but decline rebel money, which our boys have taken from their dead. They ask why we do not send back to the South the five thousand Confederate soldiers who have remained in the hospitals in and about Gettysburg, and who are now convalescent. I asked them how they knew this. Their answer was, "We learned by grapevine telegraph." The truth is, these rebels have asked not to be sent South, as they will again be forced into the ranks. The pickets express great admiration for General McClellan. They say, "If the South could vote, they would make McClellan President."

CHAPTER XXXVII.

SOLDIERS' LETTERS FROM THE FRONT DURING THE LAST YEAR OF THE WAR-LIFE IN REBEL PRISONS-DREADFUL SCENES - HORRORS OF ANDERSONVILLE - LAST DAYS OF THE GREAT REBELLION-PEACE.

A Hospital Picnic-"The Stump Squad"-Strawberries for the Army"Virginia a vast Blackberry Field"-"Old Hundred" in CampHunting Bloodhound's-Letter from a Hospital Nurse in Annapolis -Thirty thousand Prisoners cooped up at Andersonville, in ten Acres ―Their Hands and Feet rot off-Swarming with Vermin - Bones protrude through the Flesh-The Men become Idiots and Lunatics-Different Treatment of Southern Prisoners by the North-"The Yankees take good Care of us" Last Days of Sherman's "March to the Sea" — The Army reaches the Atlantic Coast - Columbia, S. C., is burned-Destitution of the South-"At the Mercy of a General more powerful than Grant or Sherman, General Starvation."

HOSPITAL CAMP NEAR WASHINGTON, D. C., July 26, 1864. HAVE been wondering if I could find interesting matter with which to fill a letter to you. I confess the motive is a selfish one, for I hope to bring to myself a speedy reply one of your long spicy letters, full of news and gossip, and pleasant things about my negligent friends of the West Side.

I have just witnessed a hospital picnic. It is a new thing for maimed and sick men to participate in out-door festivities; but is there any form of kindness, or any manifestation of tenderness, in which the men and women of the Sanitary Commission fail to express themselves? If this war has developed

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some of the most brutal, bestial and devilish qualities lurking in the human race, it has also shown us how much of the angel there is in the best men and women has reconvinced me that man, with the propensities of the lower creation still lingering in him, is yet divine, and ordained ultimately to a noble destiny.

The convalescent portion of this large community was out to-day in full force. It was an odd-looking company, I can assure you. For they came to the picnic provided for them with arms in slings, and sometimes with but one arm-sometimes both were lacking. Some on one leg, and others, with scarcely healed wounds, by the aid of friendly hands and crutches, were helped to the place of meeting. But there was a group the like of which, I venture to say, was never before seen at a festive gathering. It was composed of men whose limbs had been recently amputated. "We are the Stump Squad!" said one of the brave fellows facetiously, "and we are determined to see the fun." These were carried in their beds, by nurses and friends, out into the grove, and placed where the shade was densest, and where the breath of heaven could freely kiss their wan faces. New light came into the eyes of these maimed heroes as they looked round on the festive scene. Their stronger comrades made good use of the summer day. Some were engaged in games upon the thick greensward; others were swinging in the great box swings, or trying to amuse themselves in the bowling alleys. They were treated to excellent music, by the fine band of the Fourteenth New Hampshire, who came from their camp to help make the occasion pleasant. Every delicate viand which it was safe for

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BLACKBERRIES FOR THE SOLDIERS.

the poor fellows to eat was furnished them, even to strawberries and ice-cream. And those were fed who were unable to help themselves, amid incessant jokes, witty badinage, and gay repartee.

I suppose you have learned of the efforts of the ladies to furnish all the sick and wounded men in the Washington hospitals with strawberries. They distributed this fruit to nearly ten thousand. They expected to do better than this; but they had difficulty in obtaining strawberries from the Washington and Baltimore markets, and could not use the money given them for that purpose. Having a large sum still unexpended, the ladies determined to use their own judgment in its expenditure for the men. It is a great stride from strawberries to tobacco. They had observed that most of the soldiers desired tobacco, but had not the means for its purchase, and they consequently distributed tobacco, chewing or smoking, with pipes, to eleven thousand and sixtyeight men. The ladies learned very quickly, by inquiry, that there was nothing, outside of government rations, which the patients in the hospitals more earnestly desired than this filthy weed.

There is no limit to the thoughtfulness of the people for the comfort and happiness of the army. Last Christmas holidays, over five thousand roasted turkeys, with all the etceteras, were sent to the soldiers of the Army of the Potomac, through Adams' Express and other sources. Blackberries are the great luxury of the soldier at present. Virginia is one vast blackberry field. The army was never in better sanitary condition than now-and it is due, so the surgeons say, to the free use of blackberries as a diet. One of the surgeons told me that these