40 Ten Years of my Life. 



We possessed, also, a tin SQf vice for six persons, not to for- 

 get half a dozen of knives and forks, so that we were enabled 

 to entertain a guest or two. Behind our canvas palace was a 

 smaller tent, which served as a kitchen and a dormitory for 

 my negro servant girl, whom I had brought with me from 

 Washington, and a shed was used as a stable for our horses. 



Starvation was at an end now, for victuals of all kinds were 

 abundant. We had our own caterer, who provided us with all 

 the delicacies of the season, and our wine cellar, which was 

 dug in the ground, contained bottles of the most different 

 shapes and contents. 



When it became certain that we were to stay all the winter 

 where we were, the camp assumed soon the aspect of an im- 

 provised town. General Hooker, who commanded the corps, 

 and of whom I shall speak directly, permitted the families of 

 the officers and soldiers to visit and stay with them, and the 

 whole camp was teeming with women and children. In fact 

 there was scarcely one officer who had not his wife, mother; 

 sister, or cousin with him, and beside the tent sprang up like 

 mushrooms one shanty or blockhouse after the other. The 

 country around was fine, the weather mostly mild and pleasant, 

 and everybody only thinking how to amuse himself and others. 

 I felt as happy as could be, and remember still with delight 

 that time. 



Whilst we were there we were joined by a relative of my 

 husband, Mr. v. d. Groeben, a former captain of the Holy 

 Father's army, for whom Salm procured a captain's commis- 

 sion. Old Groeben, as we called him, though he was not old, 

 became much attached to us, and contributed immensely to 

 our comfort. He installed himself as our major-domo, man- 

 aged all our affairs, and arranged all pleasure parties and the 

 like. He was a somewhat pedantic, queer man, who grumbled 

 always and at everything, though he was by no means satur- 

 nine or of bad temper, but, on the contrary, rather full of a quiet 

 good humour. He was everywhere with us, though it cost 

 him many sighs and groans to follow us across the country, 

 for he was a very indifferent horseman, and, warned by nume- 

 rous tumbles, he preferred whenever he could a seat in a boat 

 or ambulance to one in the saddle. 



As w^ had to do nothing but amuse ourselves, and kill the 

 time agreeably, scarcely a day passed without some excursion, 



