162 HENRY HILL GOODELL 



upon us. Such a spectacle never before was seen. The long 

 roll was sounding, and naked men in every direction were 

 making a dash for their guns, trying to dress as they ran. 

 Some, with their trousers on hindside before, did n't know 

 whether they were advancing or retreating and ran the 

 wrong way; others, with simply a shirt and cap, were try- 

 ing to adjust their belts. Officers were swearing and mounted 

 aides were dashing about trying to bring order out of con- 

 fusion. It was the foundation of the story Kipling tells of 

 the parade after the taking of Lungtungpen. "Thin we 

 halted and formed up, the wimmen howling in the houses 

 and Lif t'nint Brazenose blushin' pink in the light av the 

 mornin' sun. 'T was the most ondasint parade I iver tuk a 

 hand in. Foive and twenty privits an* a officer uv the line 

 in review order, an' not so much as wud dust a fife betune 

 'em all in the way of clothin'. Eight av us had their belts 

 an' pouches on; but the rest had gone in wid a handful of 

 cartridges an' the skin God gave thim. They was as nakid 

 as Vanus." 



The next day we were ordered to Barrett's Landing to 

 act as guard for a steamer coming up through the bayous 

 with supplies, and here my story properly begins. 



It was April 22, 1863, and the regiment, exhausted by 

 the conflict of the 14th and the rapid march ensuing, fol- 

 lowing hard upon the track of Taylor's flying forces, from 

 Franklin on to Opelousas, was resting at Barrett's Landing, 

 when suddenly the whole camp was thrown into a ferment 

 and fever of excitement by the news that the paymaster 

 had arrived and would be at headquarters at twelve o'clock. 

 Oh, welcome news to men who had been without pay for 

 six months ! How the eye glistened, and the mouth watered 



