Three Months In The Southern States: The 1863 War Diary Of An English Soldier: April-June 1863 [Illustrated Edition]
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“A British soldier's view of the great conflict of blue and grey
“The author of this book has, perhaps, achieved more renown in recent years than at any time since the publication of his literary efforts. Those familiar with the film, 'Gettysburg' will recall the unusual figure of a British Guards officer attired (inaccurately) in his full dress Guardsman's scarlet uniform among the ranks of the Virginians at the famous and pivotal battle. The cinema may have taken its usual liberties, but the character was firmly based in fact and was none other than the author of this book. The British Empire felt no need to come down strongly on either side of the conflict between the States, but its support for the Confederacy was both implicit and occasionally obvious. Fremantle wanted to see the war at first hand and so he travelled to America and accompanied the Confederate forces-actually unglamorously in mufti-in the field. His experiences brought him to the collision of Gettysburg and history is indebted to Fremantle for the observations of a comparatively impartial military man on these monumental times and events. Essential Civil war material.”-Print Edition
Colonel Arthur James Lyon Fremantle
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Three Months In The Southern States - Colonel Arthur James Lyon Fremantle
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Text originally published in 1864 under the same title.
© Pickle Partners Publishing 2013, all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted by any means, electrical, mechanical or otherwise without the written permission of the copyright holder.
Publisher’s Note
Although in most cases we have retained the Author’s original spelling and grammar to authentically reproduce the work of the Author and the original intent of such material, some additional notes and clarifications have been added for the modern reader’s benefit.
We have also made every effort to include all maps and illustrations of the original edition the limitations of formatting do not allow of including larger maps, we will upload as many of these maps as possible.
THREE MONTHS IN THE SOUTHERN STATES APRIL-JUNE 1863
BY
LIEUT.-COL. FREMANTLE
COLDSTREAM GUARDS
WITH PORTRAITS ENGRAVED FROM PHOTOGRAPHS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS 4
PORTRAITS. 11
PREFACE. 12
THREE MONTHS IN THE SOUTHERN STATES. APRIL, MAY, JUNE, 1863. 13
MARCH 1863 13
APRIL 1863 13
MAY 1863 40
JUNE 1863 80
JULY 1863 122
POSTSCRIPT. 144
REQUEST FROM THE PUBLISHER 146
MAPS 147
I – CAMPAIGN AND BATTLE MAPS - 1861 147
Charleston Harbor, Bombardment of Fort Sumter – 12th & 13th April 1861 147
1st Bull Run Campaign – Theatre Overview July 1861 148
Bull Run – 21st July 1861 149
1st Bull Run Campaign – Situation 18th July 1861 150
1st Bull Run Campaign – Situation 21st July 1861 (Morning) 151
1st Bull Run Campaign - 21st July 1861 Actions 1-3 p.m. 152
1st Bull Run Campaign - 21st July 1861 Union Retreat 4 P.M. to Dusk 153
II – CAMPAIGN AND BATTLE MAPS - 1862 154
Battle of Mill Springs – 19th January 1862 (6-8.30 A.M.) Confederate Attacks 154
Battle of Mill Springs – 19th January 1862 (9 A.M.) Union Attacks 155
Forts Henry and Donelson – 6th to 16th February 1862 156
Battle of Fort Donelson – 14th February 1862 157
Battle of Fort Donelson – 15th February 1862 Morning 158
Battle of Fort Donelson – 15th February 1862 Morning 159
New Madrid and Island No. 10 – March 1862 160
Pea Ridge – 5th to 8th March 1862 161
First Battle of Kernstown – 23rd March 1862, 11 – 16:45 162
Shiloh (or Pittsburg Landing) - 6th & 7th April 1862 163
Battle of Shiloh – 6th April 1862 - Morning 164
Battle of Shiloh – 6th April 1862 – P.M. 165
Battle of Yorktown – 5th to 16th April 1862 166
Jackson’s Valley Campaign – 24th to 25th May 1862 - Actions 167
Williamsburg – 5th May 1862 168
Fair Oaks – 31st May to 1st June 1862 169
Battle of Seven Pines – 31st May 1862 170
Seven Days – 26th June to 2nd July 1862 171
Seven Days Battles – 25th June to 1st July 1862 - Overview 172
Seven Days Battles – 26th & 27th June 1862 173
Seven Days Battles – 30th June 1862 174
Seven Days Battles – 1st July 1862 175
Battle of Gaines Mill – 27th June 1862 2.30 P.M. Hill’s Attacks 176
Battle of Gaines Mill – 27th June 1862 3.30 P.M. Ewell’s Attacks 177
Battle of Gaines Mill – 27th June 1862 7 P.M. General Confederate Attacks 178
Pope’s Campaign - 24th August 1862 179
Pope’s Campaign - 28th August 1862 A.M. 180
Pope’s Campaign - 28th August 1862 6 P.M. 181
Second Battle of Bull Run – 28th August 1862 182
Second Battle of Bull Run – 29th August 1862 10 A.M. 183
Second Battle of Bull Run – 29th August 1862 12 P.M. 184
Second Battle of Bull Run – 29th August 1862 5 P.M. 185
Pope’s Campaign – 29th August 1862 Noon. 186
Second Battle of Bull Run – 30th August 1862 3 P.M. 187
Second Battle of Bull Run – 30th August 1862 4.30 P.M. 188
Second Battle of Bull Run – 30th August 1862 5 P.M. 189
Battle of Harpers Ferry – 15th September 1862 190
Antietam – 16th & 17th September 1862 191
Battle of Antietam – 17th September 1862 Overview 192
Battle of Antietam – 17th September 1862 6 A.M. 193
Battle of Antietam – 17th September 1862 7.30 A.M. 194
Battle of Antietam – 17th September 1862 9 A.M. 195
Battle of Antietam – 17th September 1862 10 A.M. 196
Iuka – 19th September 1862 197
Battle of Iuka – 19th September 1862 198
Corinth – 3rd & 4th October 1862 199
Second Battle of Corinth – 3rd October 1862 200
Second Battle of Corinth – 4th October 1862 201
Perryville – 8th October 1862 202
Battle of Perryville – 8th October 1862 – 2 P.M. 203
Battle of Perryville – 8th October 1862 – 3 P.M. 204
Battle of Perryville – 8th October 1862 – 3.45 P.M. 205
Battle of Perryville – 8th October 1862 – 4 P.M. 206
Battle of Perryville – 8th October 1862 – 4.15 P.M. 207
Battle of Perryville – 8th October 1862 – 5.45 P.M. 208
Fredericksburg – 13th December 1862 209
Battle of Fredericksburg – 13th December 1862 Overview 210
Battle of Fredericksburg – 13th December 1862 Sumner’s Assault 211
Battle of Fredericksburg – 13th December 1862 Hooker’s Assault 212
Battle of Chickasaw Bayou – 26th to 29th December 1862 213
Stone’s River – 31st December 1862 214
Battle of Stones River – 30th December 1862 215
Battle of Stones River – 31st December 1862 – 8.00 A.M. 216
Battle of Stones River – 31st December 1862 – 9.45 A.M. 217
Battle of Stones River – 31st December 1862 – 11.00 A.M. 218
III – CAMPAIGN AND BATTLE MAPS - 1863 219
Battle of Stones River – 2nd January 1863 – 4 P.M. 219
Battle of Stones River – 2nd January 1863 – 4 P.M. 220
Battle of Stones River – 2nd January 1863 – 4.45 P.M. 221
Chancellorsville Campaign (Hooker’s Plan) – April 1863 222
Battle of Chancellorsville – 1st May 1863 Actions 223
Battle of Chancellorsville – 2nd May 1863 Actions 224
Chancellorsville – 2nd May 1863 225
Chancellorsville – 3rd to 5th May 1863 226
Battle of Chancellorsville – 3rd May 1863 Actions 6 A.M. 227
Battle of Chancellorsville – 3rd May 1863 Actions 10 A.M. – 5 P.M. 228
Battle of Chancellorsville – 4th to 6th May 1863. 229
Battle of Brandy Station – 8th June 1863 230
Siege of Vicksburg – 25th May to 4th July 1863 231
Siege of Vicksburg – 19th May 1863 - Assaults 232
Siege of Vicksburg – 22nd May 1863 - Assaults 233
Gettysburg – 1st July 1863 234
Battle of Gettysburg – 1st July 1863 Overview 235
Battle of Gettysburg – 1st July 1863 7 A.M. 236
Battle of Gettysburg – 1st July 1863 10 A.M. 237
Battle of Gettysburg – 1st July 1863 10.45 A.M. 238
Battle of Gettysburg – 1st July 1863 11 A.M. 239
Battle of Gettysburg – 1st July 1863 12.30 P.M. 240
Battle of Gettysburg – 1st July 1863 2 P.M. 241
Gettysburg – 2nd to 4th July 1863 242
Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Lee’s Plan 243
Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Overview 244
Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Cemetary Ridge A.M. 245
Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Culp’s Hill – Initial Defence 246
Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Culp’s Hill – Evening attacks 247
Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Hood’s Assaults 248
Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Peach Orchard Initial Assaults 249
Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Peach Orchard and Cemetary Ridge 250
Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Wheatfield – Initial Assaults 251
Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Wheatfield – Second Phase 252
Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Cemetery Hill Evening 253
Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Little Round Top (1) 254
Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Little Round Top (2) 255
Battle of Gettysburg – 3rd July 1863 Overview 256
Battle of Gettysburg – 3rd July 1863 – Pickett’s Charge 257
Battle of Gettysburg – 3rd July 1863 – Pickett’s Charge Detail 258
Battle of Gettysburg – 3rd July 1863 Culp’s Hill – Johnson’s Third Attack 259
Battle of Gettysburg – 3rd July 1863 East Cavalry Field – Opening Positions 260
Battle of Gettysburg – 3rd July 1863 East Cavalry Field – First Phase 261
Battle of Gettysburg – 3rd July 1863 East Cavalry Field – Second Phase 262
Battle of Gettysburg – 3rd July 1863 South Cavalry Field 263
Battle of Gettysburg – Battlefield Overview 264
Fight at Monterey Pass – 4th to 5th July 1863 265
Chickamauga – 19th & 20th September 1863 266
Chickamauga Campaign – Davis’s Crossroads – 11th September 1863 267
Chickamauga Campaign – 18th September 1863 After Dark 268
Battle of Chickamauga – 19th September 1863 Morning 269
Battle of Chickamauga – 19th September 1863 Early Afternoon 270
Battle of Chickamauga – 19th September 1863 Early Afternoon 271
Battle of Chickamauga – 20th September 1863 9 A.M. to 11 A.M. 272
Battle of Chickamauga – 20th September 1863 11 A.M. to Mid-Afternoon 273
Battle of Chickamauga – 20th September 1863 Mid-Afternoon to Dark 274
Battle of Chickamauga – 20th September 1863 Brigade Details 275
Chattanooga – 23rd to 25th November 1863 276
Chattanooga Campaign – 24th & 25th November 1863 277
Chattanooga Campaign – Federal Supply Lines and Wheeler’s Raid 278
Battle of Missionary Ridge – 25th November 1863 279
Mine Run – 26th to 30th November 1863 280
IV – CAMPAIGN AND BATTLE MAPS - 1864 281
Siege of Petersburg – Actions 29th to 31st March 1864 281
Wilderness – 5th & 6th May 1864 282
Battle of the Wilderness – 5th May 1864 – Positions 7 A.M. 283
Battle of the Wilderness – 5th May 1864 - Actions 284
Battle of the Wilderness – 6th May 1864 – Actions 5 A.M. 285
Battle of the Wilderness – 6th May 1864 – Actions 6 A.M. 286
Battle of the Wilderness – 6th May 1864 – Actions 11 A.M. 287
Battle of the Wilderness – 6th May 1864 – Actions 2 P.M. 288
Spotsylvania – 8th to 21st May 1864 289
Battle of Spotsylvania Court House – 7th & 8th May 1864 - Movements 290
Battle of Spotsylvania Court House – 8th May 1864 - Actions 291
Battle of Spotsylvania Court House – 9th May 1864 - Actions 292
Battle of Spotsylvania Court House – 10th May 1864 - Actions 293
Battle of Spotsylvania Court House – 12th May 1864 - Actions 294
Battle of Spotsylvania Court House – 13th May 1864 - Actions 295
Battle of Spotsylvania Court House – 17th May 1864 - Actions 296
North Anna – 23rd to 26th May 1864 297
Battle of North Anna – 23rd May 1864 298
Battle of North Anna – 24th May 1864 299
Battle of North Anna – 25th May 1864 300
Battle of Haw’s Shop – 28th May 1864 301
Battle of Bethseda Church (1) – 30th May 1864 302
Battle of Bethseda Church (2) – 30th May 1864 303
Cold Harbor – 31st May to 12th June 1864 304
Battle of Cold Harbor – 1st June 1864 305
Battle of Cold Harbor – 3rd June 1864 306
Pickett’s Mills and New Hope Church – 25th to 27th May 1864 307
Battle of Kennesaw Mountain – 27th June 1864 308
Siege of Petersburg – Actions 15th to 18th June 1864 309
Siege of Petersburg – Actions 21st to 22nd June 1864 310
Siege of Petersburg – Actions 30th July 1864 311
Wilson-Kautz Raid – 22nd June to 1st July 1864 312
First Battle of Deep Bottom – 27th to 29th July 1864 313
Second Battle of Deep Bottom – 14th to 20th August 1864 314
Siege of Petersburg – Actions 18th to 19th August 1864 315
Opequon, or Winchester, Va. – 19th September 1864 316
Fisher’s Hill – 22nd September 1864 317
Siege of Petersburg – Actions 27th October 1864 318
Cedar Creek – 19th October 1864 319
Battle of Cedar Creek – 19th October 1864 5-9 A.M. Confederate Attacks 320
Battle of Spring Hill – 29th November 1864 – Afternoon 321
Battle of Spring Hill – 29th November 1864 – Evening 322
Battle of Cedar Creek – 19th October 1864 4-5 P.M. Union Counterattack 323
Franklin – 30th November 1864 324
Battle of Franklin – Hood’s Approach 30th November 1864 325
Battle of Franklin – 30th November 1864 Actions after 4.30 P.M. 326
Nashville – 15th & 16th December 1864 327
V – OVERVIEWS 328
1 – Map of the States that Succeeded – 1860-1861 328
Fort Henry Campaign – February 1862 329
Forts Henry and Donelson – February 1862 330
Jackson’s Valley Campaign – 23rd March to 8th May 1862 331
Peninsula Campaign – 17th March to 31st May 1862 332
Jackson’s Valley Campaign – 21st May to 9th June 1862 333
Northern Virginia Campaign – 7th to 28th August 1862 334
Maryland Campaign – September 1862 335
Iuka-Corinth Campaign – First Phase – 10th to 19th September 1862 336
Iuka-Corinth Campaign – Second Phase – 20th September – 3rd October 1862 337
Fredericksburg Campaign – Movements mid-November to 10th December 1862 338
Memphis to Vicksburg – 1862-1863 339
Operations Against Vicksburg and Grant’s Bayou Operations – November 1862 to April 1863 340
Campaign Against Vicksburg – 1863 341
Grant’s Operations Against Vicksburg – April to July 1863 342
Knoxville Campaign - 1863 343
Tullahoma Campaign – 24th June – 3rd July 1863 344
Gettysburg Campaign – Retreat 5th to 14th July 1863 345
Rosecrans’ Manoeuvre – 20th August to 17th September 1963 346
Bristoe Campaign – 9th October to 9th November 1863 347
Mine Run Campaign – 27th November 1863 – 2nd December 1863 348
Grant’s Overland Campaign – Wilderness to North Anna - 1864 349
Grant’s Overland Campaign – May to June 1864 350
Overland Campaign – 4th May 1864 351
Overland Campaign – 27th to 29th May 1864 352
Overland Campaign –29th to 30th May 1864 353
Overland Campaign – 1st June 1864 – Afternoon 354
Sheridan’s Richmond Raid – 9th to 14th May 1864 355
Sheridan’s Trevilian Station Raid – 7th to 10th June 1864 356
Sheridan’s Trevilian Station Raid – 7th to 10th June 1864 357
Battle of Trevilian Station Raid – 11th June 1864 358
Battle of Trevilian Station Raid – 12th June 1864 359
Shenandoah Valley Campaign – May to July 1864 360
Operations about Marietta – 14th to 28th June 1864 361
Atlanta Campaign – 7th May to 2nd July 1864 362
Operations about Atlanta – 17th July to 2nd September 1864 363
Richmond-Petersburg Campaign – Position Fall 1864 364
Shenandoah Valley Campaign – 20th August – October 1864 365
Sherman’s March to the Sea 366
Franklin-Nashville Campaign – 21st to 28th November 1864 367
Operations about Petersburg – June 1864 to April 1865 368
Carolinas Campaign – February to April 1865 369
Appomattox Campaign - 1865 370
PORTRAITS.
President Jefferson Davis,
Joseph E. Johnston,
Lieut.-General Leonidas Polk,
General G.T. Beauregard,
Lieut.-General James Longstreet,
General Robert E. Lee,
PREFACE.
At the outbreak of the American war, in common with many of my countrymen, I felt very indifferent as to which side might win; but if I had any bias, my sympathies were rather in favour of the North, on account of the dislike which an Englishman naturally feels at the idea of Slavery. But soon a sentiment of great admiration for the gallantry and determination of the Southerners, together with the unhappy contrast afforded by the foolish bullying conduct of the Northerners, caused a complete revulsion in my feelings, and I was unable to repress a strong wish to go to America and see something of this wonderful struggle.
Having successfully accomplished my design, I returned to England, and found amongst all my friends an extreme desire to know the truth of what was going on in the South; for, in consequence of the blockade, the truth can with difficulty be arrived at, as intelligence coming mainly through Northern sources is not believed; and, in fact, nowhere is the ignorance of what is passing in the South more profound than it is in the Northern States.
In consequence of a desire often expressed, I now publish the Diary which I endeavoured, as well as I could, to keep up day by day during my travels throughout the Confederate States. The latter portion of the Diary, which has reference to the battle of Gettysburg, has already appeared in 'Blackwood's Magazine;' and the interest with which it was received has encouraged me to publish the remainder.
I have not attempted to conceal any of the peculiarities or defects of the Southern people. Many persons will doubtless highly disapprove of some of their customs and habits in the wilder portion of the country; but I think no generous man, whatever may be his political opinions, can do otherwise than admire the courage, energy, and patriotism of the whole population, and the skill of its leaders, in this struggle against great odds. And I am also of opinion that many will agree with me in thinking that a people in which all ranks and both sexes display a unanimity and a heroism which can never have been surpassed in the history of the world, is destined, sooner or later, to become a great and independent nation.
THREE MONTHS IN THE SOUTHERN STATES. APRIL, MAY, JUNE, 1863.
MARCH 1863
2d March 1863.—I left England in the royal mail steamer Atrato, and arrived at St Thomas on the 17th.
***
22d March.—Anchored at Havana at 6.15 a.m., where I fell in with my old friend, H.M.'s frigate Immortalité. Captain Hancock not only volunteered to take me as his guest to Matamoros, but also to take a Texan merchant, whose acquaintance I had made in the Atrato. This gentleman's name is M'Carthy. He is of Irish birth—an excellent fellow, and a good companion; and when he understood my wish to see the South,
he had most good-naturedly volunteered to pilot me over part of the Texan deserts. I owe much to Captain Hancock's kindness.
***
23d March.—Left Havana in H.M.S. Immortalité, at 11 a.m. Knocked off steam when outside the harbour.
APRIL 1863
1st April.—Anchored at 8.30 p.m., three miles from the mouth of the Rio Grande, or Rio Bravo del Norte, which is, I believe, its more correct name, in the midst of about seventy merchant vessels.
***
2d April.—The Texan and I left the Immortalité, in her cutter, at 10 a.m., and crossed the bar in fine style. The cutter was steered by Mr Johnston, the master, and having a fair wind, we passed in like a flash of lightning, and landed at the miserable village of Bagdad, on the Mexican bank of the Rio Grande.
The bar was luckily in capital order—3½ feet of water, and smooth. It is often impassable for ten or twelve days together: the depth of water varying from 2 to 5 feet. It is very dangerous, from the heavy surf and under-current; sharks also abound. Boats are frequently capsized in crossing it, and the Orlando lost a man on it about a month ago.
Seventy vessels are constantly at anchor outside the bar; their cotton cargoes being brought to them, with very great delays, by two small steamers from Bagdad. These steamers draw only 3 feet of water, and realise an enormous profit.
Bagdad consists of a few miserable wooden shanties, which have sprung into existence since the war began. For an immense distance endless bales of cotton are to be seen.
Immediately we landed, M'Carthy was greeted by his brother merchants. He introduced me to Mr Ituria, a Mexican, who promised to take me in his buggy to Brownsville, on the Texan bank of the river opposite Matamoros. M'Carthy was to follow in the evening to Matamoros.
The Rio Grande is very tortuous and shallow; the distance by river to Matamoros is sixty-five miles, and it is navigated by steamers, which sometimes perform the trip in twelve hours, but more often take twenty-four, so constantly do they get aground.
The distance from Bagdad to Matamoros by land is thirty-five miles; on the Texan side to Brownsville, twenty-six miles.
I crossed the river from Bagdad with Mr Ituria, at 11 o'clock; and as I had no pass, I was taken before half-a-dozen Confederate officers, who were seated round a fire contemplating a tin of potatoes. These officers belonged to Duff's cavalry (Duff being my Texan's partner). Their dress consisted simply of flannel shirts, very ancient trousers, jack-boots with enormous spurs, and black felt hats, ornamented with the lone star of Texas.
They looked rough and dirty, but were extremely civil to me.
The captain was rather a boaster, and kept on remarking, We've given 'em h——ll on the Mississippi, h——ll on the Sabine
(pronounced Sabeen), and h——ll in various other places.
He explained to me that he couldn't cross the river to see M'Carthy, as he with some of his men had made a raid over there three weeks ago, and carried away some renegadoes,
one of whom, named Montgomery, they had left on the road to Brownsville; by the smiles of the other officers I could easily guess that something very disagreeable must have happened to Montgomery. He introduced me to a skipper who had just run his schooner, laden with cotton, from Galveston, and who was much elated in consequence. The cotton had cost 6 cents a pound in Galveston, and is worth 36 here.
Mr Ituria and I left for Brownsville at noon. A buggy is a light gig on four high wheels.
The road is a natural one—the country quite flat, and much covered with mosquite trees, very like pepper trees. Every person we met carried a six-shooter, although it is very seldom necessary to use them.
After we had proceeded about nine miles we met General Bee, who commands the troops at Brownsville. He was travelling to Boca del Rio in an ambulance,{1} with his Quartermaster-General, Major Russell. I gave him my letter of introduction to General Magruder, and told him who I was.
He thereupon descended from his ambulance and regaled me with beef and beer in the open. He is brother to the General Bee who was killed at Manassas. We talked politics and fraternised very amicably for more than an hour. He said the Mongomery affair was against his sanction, and he was sorry for it. He said that Davis, another renegado, would also have been put to death, had it not been for the intercession of his wife. General Bee had restored Davis to the Mexicans.
Half an hour after parting company with General Bee, we came to the spot where Mongomery had been left; and sure enough, about two hundred yards to the left of the road, we found him.
He had been slightly buried, but his head and arms were above the ground, his arms tied together, the rope still round his neck, but part of it still dangling from quite a small mosquite tree. Dogs or wolves had probably scraped the earth from the body, and there was no flesh on the bones. I obtained this my first experience of Lynch law within three hours of landing in America.
I understand that this Mongomery was a man of very bad character, and that, confiding in the neutrality of the Mexican soil, he was in the habit of calling the Confederates all sorts of insulting epithets from the Bagdad bank of the river; and a party of his renegadoes
had also crossed over and killed some unarmed cotton teamsters, which had roused the fury of the Confederates.
About three miles beyond this we came to Colonel Duff's encampment. He is a fine-looking, handsome Scotchman, and received me with much hospitality. His regiment consisted of newly-raised volunteers—a very