Page:Historical and biographical sketches.djvu/354

350 were then in a road, and as usual, when they came up nearly all jumped over the fences, and cocked their muskets ready to fire. Having learned something by my former escapade, I stood where I was, watching intently to see what was the matter. A figure only a few feet from me, whom I recognized by his gruff voice to be the Major, said: “Men, you act like a set of sheep,” and I felt somewhat gratified to know that I was not included. Toward morning we lay down and slept for perhaps an hour among some stone piles along a fence, but by the first appearance of dawn were on the march again.

(Saturday, June 27th.) Those who worn out were unable to go further dropped off one after another, and took shelter in the various farm houses. Some were captured and others escaped by exchanging their clothing for a citizen's suit.

About ten o'clock we halted in a wood where we remained for two hours or more. A fire was soon started, and we dried our clothing by it as well as we could. A number crowded around it and went to sleep, waking up afterward feeling stiff and wretched. I went to a spring which was near, and washing the mud from my stockings and shoes, put them on again with a great deal more comfort. Then taking a seat upon a log, I drew from my haversack a piece of bread covered with dirt and soaked with water, which I was eating with the relish of a man really hungry, when George Meigs came up and asked me if I would not give him a little piece of it. I divided it with him, and he was so grateful that he reminded me of it more than once afterward. Graham, a youth, who came from the Pottstown newspaper office, loaned me his gum-blanket with more than ordinary kindness, and this time I secured it with a string. While here some booby fired off his gun to remove the load, and his foolish