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that were so frequent. Many of the soldiers put up rude huts, made from the fine timber which grew so plentiful in that region, and those who were independent and enterprising enough to build for themselves, often fashioned a ve

d to keep out the dampness. Some, more pretentious, constructed bunks or boxes round the sides, which were as comfortable as a spring bed would be at home. It was quite common to find home-made chairs, benc

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were so frequent. To add to the dreariness of their surroundings, the funeral dirge was often heard, as the dead were carried out from hosp

ll of sensibility, as Ralph was, thes

ig

care to make every word as cheerful as he could, and never to mention his discomforts, vet the mother heart between the line

ng desk, the wind gave a sudden whirl and lifted the canva

able as up North!" he said. "I thought this w

closer, as he paced to and fro. He fancied he saw in th

Who goe

rew up, and re

, with dispatches for Colonel Hop

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of the guard-post number fiv

line of guards, until it reached

them hastily, and signed each one, handing th

He longed to know what those dispatches signified, but his curiosity had to remain unsatisfied, and he went ba

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ing women all over the land were longing for the dawn of peace which should bring back to them fathers, husbands and sons. But ah, that peace was far distant. The boy reasoned that he had no right to criti

up, sure that he must be dreaming, for he had just been sleeping but a moment-a mere "cat nap," and this couldn't be a summons to leave his comfortable bed. He had neither time nor right to object, howev

at half-past," was the ca

alph's comment. "Where, are we

tured, "unless it's so we

not long i

and Indiana men under Colonel Dunning, in routing a body of Confed

oft carpet lay white and pure, muffling the sound of their footsteps. It was a weird sight-that mass of men tramping along

s. As they approached the Gap, Ralph's keen eye detected a dozen men piling up limbs, straw, a

llows have left the lines, and are fi

instanter. We need that

nchments were held manfully, but the Confederates had scarce time to pour forth their fire, before the two Ohio regiments dashed u

onents back. The houses on the other shore were filled with sharpshooters, whose co

the shore where the sharpshooters were hidden. Death menaced them, but with a huzza that would have put life into a stone, they rowed fa

to make our acquai

d themselves to us in fine style. Why,

side of the boat. No one paid him attention, for t

n. We will burn them to the ground, and take good care that not a timber stands, after we have don

pile with a match, while they stood ready to shoot the first man who dared to show himself to protest, and soon the flames leaped upward, crackling, sputtering and curling round doo

, save those who were shot in the boats. But the Confederate loss was greater. Forty soldiers

stream. Others were lying as they had fallen, their cold hands still grasping their weapons, which they would never use again. One poor fellow was kneeling in the bott

down his face, staining its ghastly whiteness crimson. His arm hung useless by his side, shattered by a bullet. Opening his eyes at the sound

d together, and Old Bill

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