we were over a thousand miles distant from the national capital. Moreover, Washington was upon slave territory; its capture was neither impossible nor improbable; and all rumours concerning its perils and dangers were believed by an excited, enthusiastic people. The large public halls were given up to Union meetings; and speeches of every degree of merit were nightly delivered to the anxious auditory. South Carolina invariably came in for a liberal supply of vituperation. "Charleston should be razed," said one speaker, "till not one stone is left upon another; till there is no place left for the owl to hoot nor the bittern to mourn." This spirit was afterwards shared even by the soldiers at the front, always the most charitable. We considered the Palmetto State the pioneer of secession, and the fountain of our great disaster. No such bitter feeling was entertained—in the army at all events-towards any other State of the Confederacy. One speaker suggested, at the meeting referred to, that the levees of the Mississippi should be cut. Another had a scheme for starving the South into submission. These were followed by a man who said that "he neither desired to drown nor to starve his rebellious countrymen. We are in the majority," said he, "and we can keep the flag of Washington aflying in a fair fight. I am going down to help, and, for one, I don't want to win victories over half-starved rebels." (Loud and continued applause.)

Under the President's first proclamation, calling for volunteers, the men were mustered in for three months. On the 10th of May, I learned that the Government had decided to accept troops "for three years or during the war," and that a company was to be formed that evening, by a local military magnate, at the Chamber of Commerce. Myself and a few friends were at the place designated in good time. There was a goodly muster of intelligent-looking young men, representing the various pursuits of life. Our future commander informed us, in a saucy little speech, that he was commissioned by the Governor to raise a company for three years or the war, and that there was every prospect of the company being assigned to the Second regiment then being organised. He wanted no man to enrol himself in the "Milwaukee Zouaves" (he had christened the child before it was born) who did not intend to go to the war. I walked up to the desk and subscribed to the conditions"three years or during the war." Many others signed the paper also, and the company was formed. Meanwhile, our captain stood apart, the hero of the moment, and, with a bright new sword, made cuts at space which offered no resistance. Amateur soldiering and infantry tactics had been to him a pastime and a study for years. In many respects he was admirably qualified for a military career.

It was the custom, both North and South, for the men to elect their officers. The "Milwaukee Zouaves"

had no election of officers that I can recall. Indeed, but very few of the men gave the subject any thought, and the few got the offices. By far the ablest man in our company was a corporal-finally Captain Bissel. I held his mangled arm while it was being amputated in "the Wilderness." Our first sergeant was quite incompetent for the position. He was a fierce-looking man, and there was a military air about him; but he was soon reduced to the ranks, and afterwards discharged from the service. Depend upon it, fierce-looking men will not "face the music" equal to the mild face, and the kindly eye that dims over a letter from home. I have seen faces of womanly softness and delicacy shine with a serene radiance in the presence of almost certain death.

Our drill-hall was the upper story of a large porkpacking establishment; and here we were diligently trained in the "school of the soldier" until we reached a degree of perfection seldom attained in so short a time. Not satisfied with the movements prescribed by Hardee's Tactics, our officers exercised us in drills. and company formations purely ornamental and unprecedented. Our first lieutenant ordered every movement in the "manual of arms" to be done " with a snap!" And while he remained with us-about two years—he was known as "snapHe was a praiseworthy man, and brave. Our uniform was a modification of that of the French Zouaves, and was provided at the cost of the wealthy merchants of our

city. Soon after being mustered into the State service, we were marched up to the depot of the Quartermaster-General of the State, where articles of underclothing were issued to us. This was considered a good joke, for no man thought of wearing them we preferred a finer quality, which we procured at our own cost. After a few sets of the State garments had been delivered to the men, some one proceeded to put them on over his uniform: the example was followed by the rest of us; and, thus attired, we marched back to our drill-hall on the "double quick," through some of the principal streets, yelling "Zouave" as we sped along, our red garments floating in the wind, and the crowds along the streets cheering heartily at a performance which made us appear more like the demons of the Lava Beds than respectable young men. Towards the end of June, we were ordered to Camp of Instruction at Madison, the capital of the State. Our departure from Milwaukee, our home, was the signal for an ovation. Military companies, waiting to be mustered into the service, escorted us to the station. Thousands of relatives, friends, and neighbours followed our march hence; and cheer after cheer rent the summer air as the train moved away.

During our amateur soldiering at home, advice and suggestions from explorers, old campaigners, doctors, and fools, appeared from day to day in the newspapers. The inventive Yankee provided patent

estoppels for our canteens; patent pocket filters; patent knapsacks, etc. But war is a stern reality: eight days' rations means a heavy load, which each individual soldier must carry or go hungry, and no amount of Yankee ingenuity could shift the load upon any other power than the shoulders of the volunteer. The ladies, young and old, were busy, early and late, making "Havelocks" (sunshades), pincushions, bandages and lint, etc., for the men who were going South. They also provided us with small parcels of pepper and salt, writing materials, tiny Testaments, and large pieces of soap. Their smiles and blessings, and the encouraging messages which followed us wherever we went, were perpetual sunbeams-food for the heart and soul-which never failed us during the darkest and most doubtful days of the Republic.

We were assigned to the Fifth Regiment, under the Colonelcy of Amasa Cobb, an able, good man, who had resigned the Speakership of the Assembly to serve his country in the field. The work of drilling was prosecuted earnestly and regularly. The people were drilling themselves; for, with the exception of a few line officers-whose tastes led them to the exercises and parades of Militia companies in time of peace-there was not much difference between the military knowledge of commanding officers and the more intelligent privates in the ranks. Our superiors were obliged to learn their lessons before they could instruct their commands. It was several