.MTE2NA.ODc3OTQ

had left. All this we did as tenderly as we could. God grant that Charleys good word may never leave him. You who are fond of glory look at Willie. Wednesday May 18th I was called up at midnight to relieve Corporal May. I continued on duty until morning. We were just at the foot of Lake Pepin as day dawned. How lovely is the scenery along the river? at this season of the year. The islands all robed in living green, and the fair young flowers in full bloom. But alas: I am a soldier and as a soldier I am robbed of these glories by sleepiness caused by guard duty. Oh! how I wish I could travel and do as I pleased without the cramp of military discipline. We arrived in La Crosse about 8 P.M. it is now about 5. We leave at 8 for the east. I expect the boys will have another drunk today. Thursday May 19th We left La Crosse at 8:#0 yesterday evening. I soon after fell asleep. In the morning we were at Minnesota Junction. Here we remained until one P.M. Charley Berdan and I have had a good time watching the scenery along the road. Here amid tramps often rises an abrupt rock to the hight of several hundred feet crowned with unclear cedar. As if some unclear huge race of giants had on unclear and cast these enormous ruins at each other. Again they have the appearance of having been built by the hand of art. Round? towers, and old chimnyes, too, raise their venerable heads toward heaven.