WET T STEIN. 85 



come for their parting flirtations before the ball. 

 They were to march to Little Rock, and their 

 men were nearly all collected in the " Bottom," 

 over the river. On this sudden proof of the 

 attack, they made a stampede for the flat-boat 

 of the rope-ferry, and nearly sunk it by over- 

 crowding, the hindmost men cutting the rope 

 and swimming their horses across the wintry tor- 

 rent. 



We had full possession of the town, and were 

 little disturbed by the dropping shots from the 

 Rebel side. We visited on our unfaithful friends 

 such punishment as enforced hospitality could 

 compass, and, on the whole, we had n't a bad 

 "time." The morning after our arrival we lev- 

 ied such contributions of supplies as were ne- 

 cessary for our return march, and, in order that 

 the return might not look like a retreat, we 

 loaded two wagons with hogsheads of sugar 

 (which would be welcome in Davidson's commis- 

 sariat), and made every arrangement for the es- 

 tablishment of the camping of the whole army in 

 the country back of the town ; for our force was 



