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rider came near I called out to him； he stopped and gave a whinny of
recognition； which seemed also a plaintive appeal for an explanation of
the changed condition of affairs。
The Sergeant was a pleasant； gentlemanly boy of about my own age。
He rode up to me and inquired if it was my horse； to which I replied in
the affirmative； and asked permission to take from the saddle pockets
some letters； pictures and other trinkets。 He granted this； and we
became friends from thence on until we separated。 He rode by my side as
we plodded over the steep； slippery hills； and we beguiled the way by
chatting of the thousand things that soldiers find to talk about； and
exchanged reminiscences of the service on both sides。 But the subject he
was fondest of was that which I relished least： mynow hishorse。 Into
the open ulcer of my heart he poured the acid of all manner of questions
concerning my lost steed's qualities and capabilities： would he swim？
how was he in fording？ did he jump well！ how did he stand fire？
I smothered my irritation； and answered as pleasantly as I could。
In the afternoon of the third day after the capture； we came up to where
a party of rustic belles were collected at 〃quilting。〃 The 〃Yankees〃
were instantly objects of greater interest than the parade of a menagerie
would have been。 The Sergeant told the girls we were going to camp for
the night a mile or so ahead； and if they would be at a certain house；
he would have a Yankee for them for close inspection。 After halting；
the Sergeant obtained leave to take me out with a guard； and I was
presently ushered into a room in which the damsels were massed in force；
a carnation…checked； staring； open…mouthed； linsey…clad crowd； as
ignorant of corsets and gloves as of Hebrew； and with a propensity to
giggle that was chronic and irrepressible。 When we entered the room
there was a general giggle； and then a shower of comments upon my
appearance；each sentence punctuated with the chorus of feminine
cachination。 A remark was made about my hair and eyes； and their
risibles gave way； judgment was passed on my nose； and then came a ripple
of laughter。 I got very red in the face； and uncomfortable generally。
Attention was called to the size of my feet and hands； and the usual
chorus followed。 Those useful members of my body seemed to swell up as
they do to a young man at his first party。
Then I saw that in the minds of these bucolic maidens I was scarcely；
if at all； human； they did not understand that I belonged to the race；
I was a 〃Yankee〃a something of the non…human class； as the gorilla or
the chimpanzee。 They felt as free to discuss my points before my face as
they would to talk of a horse or a wild animal in a show。 My equanimity
was partially restored by this reflection； but I was still too young to
escape embarrassment and irritation at being thus dissected and giggled
at by a party of girls； even if they were ignorant Virginia mountaineers。
I turned around to speak to the Sergeant； and in so doing showed my back
to the ladies。 The hum of comment deepened into surprise； that half
stopped and then intensified the giggle。
I was puzzled for a minute； and then the direction of their glances； and
their remarks explained it all。 At the rear of the lower part of the
cavalry jacket； about where the upper ornamental buttons are on the tail
of a frock coat； are two funny tabs； about the size of small pin…
cushions。 They are fastened by the edge； and stick out straight behind。
Their use is to support the heavy belt in the rear； as the buttons do in
front。 When the belt is off it would puzzle the Seven Wise Men to guess
what they are for。 The unsophisticated young ladies； with that swift
intuition which is one of lovely woman's salient mental traits；
immediately jumped at the conclusion that the projections covered some
peculiar conformation of the Yankee anatomysome incipient； dromedary…
like humps； or perchance the horns of which they had heard so much。
This anatomical phenomena was discussed intently for a few minutes；
during which I heard one of the girls inquire whether 〃it would hurt him
to cut 'em off？〃 and another hazarded the opinion that 〃it would probably
bleed him to death。〃
Then a new idea seized them； and they said to the Sergeant 〃Make him
sing！ Make him sing！〃
This was too much for the Sergeant； who had been intensely amused at the
girls' wonderment。 He turned to me； very red in the face； with：
〃Sergeant： the girls want to hear you sing。〃
I replied that I could not sing a note。 Said he：
〃Oh； come now。 I know better than that； I never seed or heerd of a
Yankee that couldn't sing。〃
I nevertheless assured him that there really were some Yankees that did
not have any musical accomplishments； and that I was one of that
unfortunate number。 I asked him to get the ladies to sing for me；
and to this they acceded quite readily。 One girl； with a fair soprano；
who seemed to be the leader of the crowd； sang 〃The Homespun Dress；〃 a
song very popular in the South； and having the same tune as the 〃Bonnie
Blue Flag。〃 It began；
I envy not the Northern girl
Their silks and jewels fine；
and proceeded to compare the homespun habiliments of the Southern women
to the finery and frippery of the ladies on the other side of Mason and
Dixon's line in a manner very disadvantageous to the latter。
The rest of the girls made a fine exhibition of the lung…power acquired
in climbing their precipitous mountains； when they came in on the chorus
Hurra！ Hurra！ for southern rights Hurra！
Hurra for the homespun dress；
The Southern ladies wear。
This ended the entertainment。
On our journey to Bristol we met many Rebel soldiers； of all ranks；
and a small number of citizens。 As the conscription had then been
enforced pretty sharply for over a year the only able…bodied men seen in
civil life were those who had some trade which exempted them from being
forced into active service。 It greatly astonished us at first to find
that nearly all the mechanics were included among the exempts； or could
be if they chose； but a very little reflection showed us the wisdom of
such a policy。 The South is as nearly a purely agricultural country as
is Russia or South America。 The people have； little inclination or
capacity for anything else than pastoral pursuits。 Consequently
mechanics are very scarce； and manufactories much scarcer。 The limited
quantity of products of mechanical skill needed by the people was mostly
imported from the North or Europe。 Both these sources of supply were
cutoff by the war； and the country was thrown upon its own slender
manufacturing resources。 To force its mechanics into the army would
therefore be suicidal。 The Army would gain a few thousand men； but its
operations would be embarrassed； if not stopped altogether； by a want of
supplies。 This condition of affairs reminded one of the singular paucity
of mechanical skill among the Bedouins of the desert； which renders the
life of a blacksmith sacred。 No matter how bitter the feud between
tribes； no one will