98 Ten Years of ony Life. 



night he surprised a rebel camp. In the ensuing fight thirteen 

 rebels were killed, fourteen taRen prisoners, and a number of 

 arms and horses fell into the hands of our troops, who lost 

 only one officer of a coloured regiment. 



On the 13th of February, Salm returned from another suc- 

 cessful raid, which he made with about three hundred men. 

 He surprised, on the loth, the noted guerilla chief Witherspoon 

 in his camp, captured many arms and some fine horses, 

 amongst which was the celebrated charger of the rebel chief, 

 whose brother, together with fifteen rebels, were taken prison- 

 ers. A good number of the rebels were killed and wounded, 

 whilst our troops had no casualties. This success made a 

 great noise, and General Steedman was so much satisfied that 

 he once more and very urgently recommended Salm for pro- 

 motion. 



Whilst Salm was thus attending to his military duties, always 

 commanding these raids in person, I had much to do with ar- 

 ranging our quarters and improving the hospital. I had to go 

 several times to Chattanooga, for the people there had sent 

 me rotten tents, and I had to exchange them for new ones, ' 

 and to fetch other commodities for my sick. 



Life in Bridgeport was then quite pleasant, for our company 

 had had many agreeable additions. Several officers' wives 

 had arrived, and the captains of the gim boats * Stone River ' 

 and ' Burnside ' were also married, and very nice people. 



In the middle of February my brother-in-law. Captain John- 

 son, arrived with my sister and her son Fran ky, for the captain 

 had been attached to my husband's brigade. The proposed 

 promotion of several officers and that of Salm did not pro- 

 gress. There was somewhere a hitch, and some hostile influ- 

 ences supposed to be at work in Washington. 



After due reflection it was thought best that I, escorted by 

 old Groeben, should go to Washington and look afler the in- 

 terests of Felix and his brigade. 



To Europeans, especially to Germans, this meddling of 

 ladies, especially with military aftairs, will appear rather strange, 

 but every country has its peculiarities, and it is one of the 

 peculiarities of America that ladies have there a far different 

 position from that they hold in Europe. More things go 

 through their hands than outsiders dream of, and ofiiciais in 

 different bureaus are not in the least surprised if ladies attend. 



