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29 After remaining at West Point a few days we moved a few miles up the Pamunkey River. We encamped on a large plantation. Exceedingly beautiful are the green meads, the lovely locust trees, the vineyards and orchards, arround this ancient homestead. Landed on three sides by dense pine forests, while on the other flows the Pamunkey whose various windings might rival Meander itself. I visited the old family burying ground, copied some of their inscriptions but I am sorry to say I have lost them therefore cannot give them here.

On the 16th of May I had my first taste of the extreme hardships of a soldier's life. After standing guard the previous night in soaking rain we were compeled to act as rear guard during the day. the army moved only about 12 miles; but the rain continued during the entire day. The mud was very deep. In places however we found bottom at a depth of not more than four inches; this was a great misfortune, for said bottom was about as hard and smooth as ice. Of course we would slip and fall in the super striation(?) of mud. The some soldier who had not the "milk of human kindness" in his heart / nor in fact any other kind of milk in his stomach / would exclaim: "Another map of the state of Virginia." tent to one but he would fall himself while jeering his unfortunate comrade. Before night the entire corp became stragglers and being the rear guard it was our duty to keep them up as well as we could. Our guard became scattered itself. At last we wallowed, rather than walked into camp.* We camped in the forest and laid over the next day.

• I could not pass this subject without remarking on the sweet sleep which I enjoyed that night. Laying down in our wet and muddy clothes with no shelter save what we afforded by our guns blankets we enjoyed a slumber the likes of which no "Lord of wontoness and ease" ever tasted on bed of softest down. And by the way, I will here remark that a green grass plat is the nicest bed many ever enjoyed. Byron understood this when he said: "Ours the green turf and not the feverish bed."