house; poor people living beside the road disclaimed ownership, and declined selling. Impressment was necessary-and Bumpo, with a single blow of his sabre, slaughtered the unoffending shoat. Replacing his sword with dignity in its scabbard, he indicated the prostrate animal with military brevity of point, and rode on, apparently in deep reflection. The retinue followed with a pig which they had found recently killed, upon the road— and bivouacking for the night in the next woods he reached, with the aid of some bread in his servants' haversacks, Bumpo made an excellent supper. This incident he related to me with immoral exultation. It is known in the family as the "Engagement in Culpeper." Bumpo was greatly pleased with the cavalry, and learned fast. He displayed an unerring instinct for discovering fields of new corn for horse feed; was a great hand at fence rails for the bivouac fire; and indulged in other improper proceedings which indicated the old soldier, and free ranger of the fields and forests. The "fortunes of war" gave me frequent opportunities of enjoying the society of Bumpo at this time. We rode together many scores of miles, with Augustus Cæsar, a coloured friend, behind; and lived the merriest life imaginable. Worthy Lieutenant of the C. S. Artillery, do you ever recall those sunshiny days? Don't you remember how we laughed and jested as we rode; how we talked the long hours away so often; and related to each other a thousand stories? How we bivouacked by night, and halted to rest by day, making excellent fires, and once kindling the dry leaves into a conflagration which we thought would bring over the enemy? Have you forgotten that pleasant little mansion in the woods, where a blazing fire and real coffee awaited us-where I purchased "Consuelo," and you, "The Monk's Revenge?" You were Bumpo "by looks" and Bumpo "by character" that day, my friend, for you feasted as though a famine were at hand! Then the supper at Rudishill's, and the breakfast at Siegel's old headquarters. The march by night, and the apparition of Rednose, emissary of Bluebaker! Those days were rather gay-in spite of wind and snow-were they not, Lieutenant Bumpo? You live easier now, perhaps, but when do you see tableaux like Rednose in your journey? Rednose, superior to the Thane of Cawdor, inasmuch as he was "not afeared!" The Lieutenant will have to explain the above mysterious allusion to his grand-children. I think he will laugh as he does so, and that a small chirping chorus will join in. The young soldier soon left the cavalry. He went to see a kinsman, was elected lieutenant of artillery in a battery which he had never seen, and on report of his merits only, and returned with his certificate of election in his pocket. The old luck attended him. In a fortnight or so he was in the battle of Fredericksburg, where he kept up a thundering fire upon the enemy-roaring at them all day with the utmost glee; and now he has gone with his battery, in command of a section, with plenty of brave cannoneers to work the pieces, to the low grounds of North Carolina. แ Such is the career of Bumpo, a brave and kindly youth, which the letter received yesterday made me ponder upon. Some portions of the epistle are characteristic: "Last night I killed a shoat which kept eating my corn; and made our two Toms scald it and cut it up, and this morning we had a piece of it for breakfast. We call the other Tom 'Long Tom,' and Thomas Augustus Cæsar!'" Bumpo! Bumpo! at your old tricks, I see. Shoat has always been your weakness, you know, from the period of the famous Engagement in Culpeper," where you slew one of these inoffensive animals. But here, I confess, there are extenuating circumstances. For a shoat to eat the corn of a lieutenant of a battery, is a crime of the deepest and darkest dye, and in this case that swift retribution which visited the deed, was consistent with both law and equity. The natural historian will be interested in the announcement that he had killed a good many robins, but none were good, "as they live altogether on a kind of berry called gall-berry, which makes them bitter." "Bears, deer, coons, and opossum" there are; but the Lieutenant has killed none. "The weather," he adds, "is as warm here as any day in May in the valley. We are on a sort of island, bounded by dense swamp on each side, and a river before and behind, with the bridges washed away. We are throwing up fortifications, but I don't think we will ever need them, as it is almost impossible for the Yankees to find us here." Admire the impregnable position in which Lieutenant Bumpo with two pieces of artillery, "commanding in the field," awaits the approach of his old friends. Dense swamps on his flanks, and rivers without bridges in his front and rear, across which, unless they come with pontoons, he can blaze away at them to advantage! That he is certain to perform that ceremony if he can, all who know him will cheerfully testify. If he falls it will be beside his gun, like a soldier, and "dead on the field of honour" shall be the young Virginian's epitaph. But I do not believe he will fall. The supreme Ruler of all things will guard the young soldier who has so faithfully performed his duty to the land of his birth. "I think," he adds in his letter before me, "if luck does not turn against us, we shall be recognised very soon. I don't care how soon, but I am no more tired of it than I was twelve months ago." Is not that the ring of the genuine metal? The stuff out of which the good soldier is made? He is no more tired of it than he was a year ago, and will cheerfully fight it out to the end. Not "tired of it" when so many are "tired of it." When such numbers would be willing to compromise the quarrel-to abandon the journey through the wilderness to Canaan-and return a-hungered to the fleshpots of Egypt! Such, in rapid outline, is the military career of my friend. I said in the beginning that he was a "representative man." Is he not? I think that he represents a great and noble race to the life-the true-hearted youths of the South. They have come up from every State and neighbourhood; from the banks of the Potomac and the borders of the Gulf. They laid down the school-book to take up the musket. They forgot that they were young, and remembered only that their soil was invaded. They were born in all classes of the social body. The humble child of toil stood beside the young heir of an ancient line, and they lived and fared alike. One sentiment inspired them in common, and made them brethren-love for their country and hatred of her enemies. Their faces were beardless, but the stubborn resolution of full manhood dwelt in every bosom. They fought beside their elders, and no worse, often better. No hardships made them quail. They were cheerful and high-spirited, marching to battle with a gay and chivalric courage, which was beautiful and inspiring to behold. When they survived the bloody contest they laughed gaily, like children, around the camp fire at night. When they fell they died bravely, like true sons of the South. I have seen them lying dead upon many battle-fields; with bosoms torn and bloody, but faces composed and tranquil. Fate had done her worst, and the young lives had ended; but not vainly has this precious blood been poured out on the land. From that sacred soil shall spring up courage, honour, love of country, knightly faith, and truth-glory, above all, for the noble land, whose very children fought and died for her! So ends my outline sketch of the good companion of many hours. Send him back soon, O Carolina, to his motherland Virginia, smiling, hearty, "gay and happy," as he left her borders! Ainsi soit-il ! V. CORPORAL SHABRACH. I. HIS OPINION OF GENERAL LEE. CAMP QUATTLEBUM RIFLES, Army of Northern Virginia, WHEN I left home, my dear boys, I promised to write to you whenever an opportunity occurred, and give you some of my views and opinions. I have an opportunity to-morrow to send you this; and as the characters of great men are valuable guides to growing boys who are shaping their own, I will take this occasion to tell you something about the famous Commander of the Army of Northern Virginia, General Lee. I will first describe his appearance; for I have always observed that when we know how a great man looks, we take far more interest in his sayings and doings, for we have an accurate idea of the sort of person who is talking or acting. I remember reading once that Cæsar, the celebrated Roman General, was a dandy in his youth-a sort of "fine gentleman" about Rome; and had lost all his hair, which he regretted greatly, and tried to conceal with the laurel crown he wore. Also, that when he conquered Gaul he was thin and pale, had frequent fainting fits, and yet was so resolute and determined that while he was riding on horseback, over mountains and through rivers, he would dictate dispatches to as many as seven secretaries at a |