Page:Nurse and spy in the Union Army.djvu/71

Rh —he dusn't know vat mine appetite ish—te feesh I must have. Oh, mine Cot ! I must have some feesh." And the old man wept like a child at the thought of being disappointed. "Hunter's Creek" was about a mile and a half from camp, where Mr. and Mrs. B. and I had spent many an hour fishing and shooting at the flocks of wild ducks which frequented it; so, after providing myself with hook, line and bait, I made my way to the creek. Soon after I commenced operations I drew up a monstrous eel, which defied all my efforts to release the hook from its jaws. At last I was obliged to draw it into camp by means of the line—and I was amply repaid for my trouble on seeing the delight of the convalescents, and especially of my old Dutchman, who continued to slap his hands together and say—"Dhat ish coot—dhat ish coot." The eel was handed over to the cook to be prepared for dinner, and to the great satisfaction of the Dutchman he was permitted to enjoy a portion of it. The army under McClellan began to assume a warlike aspect—perfect order and military discipline were observed everywhere among the soldiers. It was a splendid sight to see those well drilled troops on dress-parade—or being reviewed by their gallant young commander, upon whose shoulders the "stars" sat with so much grace and dignity.

The monotony of camp life began to be broken up by armed reconnoissances and skirmishing be-