86 HORSE, FOOT, AND DRAGOONS. 



in little groups, or polishing and cleaning the brasses of their 

 accoutrements and the barrels of their guns, some strolled 

 about aimlessly, their hands clasped behind them or thrust 

 in their belts, or stood idly smoking their great porcelain pipes, 

 and watching a game of cards, or listening to the maxims of 

 some burly, bewhiskered, non-commissioned officer. Now and 

 then the notes of some soldier song or sweet German ballad, 

 sung in subdued and low tones, floated in the still, calm air, 

 mingling with the restless pawing of the horses and the even- 

 ing hymns of the birds in the adjacent forest. Once a stag 

 with a doe or two appeared on the edge of the woods, and 

 gazed with wondering, frightened eyes at the unwonted sight, 

 and then, bounding back again, vanished into the thickets. 



The company detailed to occupy the picket lines and to 

 relieve the cavalry videttes now fell in under arms, and silently 

 took up its march towards the position assigned to it. This 

 detachment was to form a post in front of our own, and was 

 again to be guarded by a smaller detail from its ranks, lying 

 between it and the advanced sentries, and furnish the reliefs 

 for their line, the object being to guard against surprise by any 

 body of the enemy during the night. Already the quiet of the 

 evening had been broken by an occasional shot in the distance, 

 and we knew that the restless light -horsemen of our active 

 opponent had been annoying our videttes. 



The twilight was fast closing in as, after promising to return 

 to a " Bowie," or light wine punch, which it was proposed to 

 brew in the mess that evening — a promise gladly given, as I 

 had no desire to lie shivering all night on the picket line — I 

 hurried after the little column winding over the fields in the 

 gloaming. Not a word was spoken by the men as we marched, 

 and care was taken to keep on the low grounds and under the 

 shelter of the woods, until we reached a little hollow, where a 



