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Rh advancing, when instantly I had another salute. I then thought, that since I had been the cause of so much noise and alarm, it would be best for me to get off if possible, for I knew that if I was brought before our hotspur of a Colonel I should "buy the rabbit." Accordingly, I put my best foot foremost; the patrol, which consisted of twelve or fifteen men, all had a hack at me, some of the balls passing very near me indeed; one in particular, passed so near my head as to cause my ear to ring for sometime after. I now sprang to it for dear life, and I was in those days tolerable "light of foot;" but I had not made many leaps before I ran my knee with all my force against a white oak stump, which brought me up so short that I went heels over head over the stumps. I hardly knew whether I was dead or alive;—however, I got up and blundered on till I reached my tent, into which I pitched and lay as still as the pain in my knee would allow me. My messmates were all asleep and knew nothing of the affair then, nor did I ever let them or any one else know of it till after the close of the campaign, when I had joined my regiment in the line and was clear of the southern officers. But my knee was in a fine pickle,—the next morning it was swelled as big as my head, and lame enough; however, it did not long remain so. When I was questioned by the officers, or any of the men how I came by my wound, I told them I fell down, and thus far I told the truth; but when any one asked me how I came to fall down, I was compelled to equivocate a little.

I had often heard of some of the low bred Europeans, especially Irishmen, boxing with each other in good fellowship, as they termed it; but I could not believe it till I was convinced by actual demonstration. While we tarried here, I was one day at a sutler's tent, or hut, where were a number of what we Yankees call "Old countrymen;" soon after entering the hut, I observed one who was, to appearance, "pretty well over the bay." Directly there came in another who, it appeared, was an old acquaintance of the former's; they seemed exceeding glad to see each other, and so must take a drop of "the cratur" together; they then entered into conversation about former times. The first mentioned was a stout