If an apology is needed for the constant recurrence of the personal pronoun in these pages, let it be said that the recital of personal incidents, without circumlocution, necessarily com pels it.

With this brief word, I invite you to enter with me upon the Southern service; you can stop when you please, or go with me to the end, and give a huzza as you see me escape and reach the loyal lines.

WILLIAM G. STEVENSON.

NEW YORK CITY, Sept. 15th, 1862.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

HOW I VOLUNTEERED.

Object in going to Arkansas.-Change of Purpose.-Young A.-

quaintances. Questioned on Slavery.-Letter to my Parents.—

Unfortunate Clause.-A Midnight Call.-Warlike Preparations.

-Good Advice.-Honor among Lynchers.-Arrival at Court of

Judge Lynch.-Character of Jury.-Trial commenced.-Indict-

ment and Argument.-Excitement increases.-Butler Cavins

and his Lariat.-The Crisis.-The Acquittal.-No Safety from

it.-First Impulse and subsequent Reflection.-Attempted Es-

cape.-Night Ride.-Helena.-An Uneasy Boat Ride.-Mem-

phis." A Blue Jacket."-Committee of Public Safety.-A

Surprise.-Dismissal followed by Unwelcome Letter and Po-

liceman.-Recruiting Station.-Volunteering.

CHAPTER II.

INFANTRY SERVICE.

15

Character of our Regiment.-No Escape.-A Fixed Resolve.—

Randolph.-Camp Life.-Sabbath.-Father Daly.-Washing.-

Fort Wright.-Grand Defect.-Rations.-Stolen Waters.-Mu-

tiny.-Sentence.-Fort Pillow.-Slaves.-Aiding the Rebellion.

-Deep Earnestness of the People.-Strength of the Fort.-

"Pillow's Trot Line."-No Pay, and the Result.-General

Pillow described.-Columbus, Ky.-Hard Work.-Pillow in

the Ditch.-The Batteries.-Torpedoes.-Battle of Belmont. -

False Report.-Troops cross.-Untimely Joking.-The Tide of

Battle.-A Charge.-Cruelty.-Victory.-Why?-Loss.-Burial

of the Dead.-How Not to Kill.-Accident.-The Military

Bishop........
40

CHAPTER III.

ORDNANCE SERVICE.

Transferred to Ordnance.-Camp Beauregard.-Was my Oath

binding?-Resources of the Rebels.-Cannon stolen.-Manu-

factured.-A Rifling Machine.-Beauregard's Bells.-Imported

Cannon.-Running Blockade.-Silence of Southern Papers.—

Small-Arms made.-Altered.-Abundant.-Earnestness of all

Classes.-Imported Arms.-England's Neutrality.-Ammuni-

tion imported.-Manufactured.-Smuggled.-A Railroad Epi-

sode.-A Deserting Engineer.-A New Hand at the Throttle.

-Caution.-A Smash Up and Pistols.-Reconciliation.-Result

of Smash Up.-Bowling Green.-Size of Army.-Sickness.-

Personal.-Kindness of Nashville People.-Moral and Religious

Efforts for the Rebel Army.-Vices prevalent.-Seminaries and

Schools disbanded..

79

CHAPTER IV.

CAVALRY SERVICE.

New Field of Action.-Promotion.-Guerrilla Warfare.-Charac

teristics.-Tendencies.-Captain J. H. Morgan.-Character.-

Personal Appearance.-Anecdotes.-Success.-Southern Cav-

alry superior to Northern.-Advantages.-Riding Courier.-

General Johnson evacuates Bowling Green.-Excitement in

Nashville.-Preparations for Defense.-Commissary Stores.-

Vandalism.-Rear Guard.-Line of Retreat.-Dreadful Hard-

ships.-Losses.-Forced March.-Desolation.-Cause of Re-

treat.-Other Counsel.-Accident.-No Union Feeling evident.

-Intolerant yet Sincere......

CHAPTER V.

COURIER SERVICE.

108

New Duties.-Battle approaching.-Deserters and Scouts.-A

Providence.-Position and Forces of the Confederates.-Orders

to prepare to move.-My New Position.-March to the Battle-

field.-Federals off their Guard.-Care of the Confederates

against Desertion.-Council of War.-A Dreary Night.-Awful-

ness of War.-The Fight opened.-Beauregard's Address.-

The First Dead,-Détour.-Camp of 71st Ohio Volunteers.—

Failure of Strategy.-General Johnson killed.-Death con-

cealed.-Furious Fighting.-Horse killed.-Sad Scene.-Rebels

gaining. Struck by a Shell.-Another Horse killed.-The

Wounded Cavalryman and his Horse.-Sleep in the Camp of

the 71st Ohio.-Startling Reveille.-Result of First Day's Bat-

tle.-Victory for the Rebels.-Arrangements for Second Day.-

Bloody Scenes.-Grant's Attack.-Rebels fall back.-Fluctua

tions of the Day.-General Hindman blown up.-Retreat de-

termined on.-Leaving the Field.-Horrors of the Retreat.-

Sleep among the Dying.-Reach Corinth.-Resolve....... 188

CHAPTER VI.

HOSPITAL SERVICE.

Wounded arriving.-Care of my own Men.-Appointment as

Assistant-surgeon.-Discharge from Rebel Army.-Dreadful

Scenes.-Sickness.-Nurses.-Stoicism.-Military Murder of a

Deserter.-No Pay.-Go to Mobile.-Spirit of the People on

the Way.-Met at Depot.-No Means of Escape.-The Stagnant

City.-Surveillance of the Press.-Forced Charity.-In charge