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SIX WEEKS IN UNIFORM.
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selections from Bible history, in which he was exceedingly well versed. He was generally well read, a rather fluent speaker, and the men showed there appreciation of him by gathering in crowds to listen to his discourses. Some one also had printed a poetical account of the battle of “Bailey's hill,” as they styled our skirmish near Gettysburg, and made considerable money by circulating it through the fort at ten cents a copy. Some of the men had their tents arranged very comfortably. We floored ours with boards and made a sort of a table and seat in front, but I think it was the meanest one in the whole company. A large quantity of filth had accumulated about the fort, rendering it unpleasant as well as unhealthy, and the time we spent in it was very disagreeable to me — more so I suppose because I was continually troubled with diarrhoea. Joe. Rennard took a violent cold during our march and had such a terrible cough that he was sent to the hospital, in a tavern under the hill, where he remained until we were mustered out some weeks afterward. Country people sometimes came into the fort with fruit and berries for sale, but I was afraid to eat them, and confined myself almost exclusively to camp-fare. It is likely I would have felt better had I not been quite so abstemious, for I afterward found berries to be an excellent remedy.

On the third of July we heard numerous rumors of a battle between Meade and Lee, in which the latter was badly beaten, and the succeeding midnight we were awakened, ordered to prepare for marching, and went down to a train of cars but found it already filled with soldiers. It was raining in torrents and we stood there waiting for transportation for several hours, but as there did not appear to be any provided, some of us went into a grain house by the railroad, and went to sleep.