otel we repaired； then； in company with our kind…hearted old friend； who evidently wanted to see me as happy as himself。 He went up…stairs to his son's chamber； and presently came down to conduct us there。
Lieutenant P________ ； of the Pennsylvania __th； was a very fresh； bright…looking young man； lying in bed from the effects of a recent injury received in action。 A grape…shot； after passing through a post and a board； had struck him in the hip； bruising； but not penetrating or breaking。 He had good news for me。
That very afternoon； a party of wounded officers had passed through Harrisburg； going East。 He had conversed in the bar…room of this hotel with one of them； who was wounded about the shoulder （it might be the lower part of the neck）； and had his arm in a sling。 He belonged to the Twentieth Massachusetts； the Lieutenant saw that be was a Captain； by the two bars on his shoulder…strap。 His name was my family…name； he was tall and youthful； like my Captain。 At four o'clock he left in the train for Philadelphia。 Closely questioned； the Lieutenant's evidence was as round； complete； and lucid as a Japanese sphere of rock…crystal。
TE DEUM LAUDAMUS！ The Lord's name be praised！ The dead pain in the semilunar ganglion （which I must remind my reader is a kind of stupid； unreasoning brain； beneath the pit of the stomach； common to man and beast； which aches in the supreme moments of life； as when the dam loses her young ones； or the wild horse is lassoed） stopped short。 There was a feeling as if I had slipped off a tight boot； or cut a strangling garter；only it was all over my system。 What more could I ask to assure me of the Captain's safety？ As soon as the telegraph office opens tomorrow morning we will send a message to our friends in Philadelphia； and get a reply； doubtless； which will settle the whole matter。
The hopeful morrow dawned at last； and the message was sent accordingly。 In due time； the following reply was received： 〃Phil Sept 24 I think the report you have heard that W ＇the Captain＇ has gone East must be an error we have not seen or heard of him here M L H〃
DE PROFUNDIS CLAMAVI！ He could not have passed through Philadelphia without visiting the house called Beautiful； where he had been so tenderly cared for after his wound at Ball's Bluff； and where those whom he loved were lying in grave peril of life or limb。 Yet he did pass through Harrisburg； going East； going to Philadelphia； on his way home。 Ah； this is it！ He must have taken the late night…train from Philadelphia for New York； in his impatience to reach home。 There is such a train； not down in the guide…book； but we were assured of the fact at the Harrisburg depot。 By and by came the reply from Dr。 Wilson's telegraphic message： nothing had been heard of the Captain at Chambersburg。 Still later； another message came from our Philadelphia friend； saying that he was seen on Friday last at the house of Mrs。 K________； a well…known Union lady in Hagerstown。 Now this could not be true； for he did not leave Keedysville until Saturday； but the name of the lady furnished a clew by which we could probably track him。 A telegram was at once sent to Mrs。 K_______； asking information。 It was transmitted immediately； but when the answer would be received was uncertain； as the Government almost monopolized the line。 I was； on the whole； so well satisfied that the Captain had gone East； that； unless something were heard to the contrary； I proposed following him in the late train leaving a little after midnight for Philadelphia。
This same morning we visited several of the temporary hospitals； churches and school…houses； where the wounded were lying。 In one of these； after looking round as usual； I asked aloud； 〃Any Massachusetts men here？〃 Two bright faces lifted themselves from their pillows and welcomed me by name。 The one nearest me was private John B。 Noyes of Company B； Massachusetts Thirteenth； son of my old college class…tutor； now the reverend and learned Professor of Hebrew； etc。； in Harvard University。 His neighbor was Corporal Armstrong of the same Company。 Both were slightly wounded； doing well。 I learned then and since from Mr。 Noyes that they and their comrades were completely overwhelmed by the attentions of the good people of Harrisburg；that the ladies brought them fruits and flowers； and smiles； better than either；and that the little boys of the place were almost fighting for the privilege of doing their errands。 I am afraid there will be a good many hearts pierced in this war that will have no bulletmark to show。
There were some heavy hours to get rid of； and we thought a visit to Camp Curtin might lighten some of them。 A rickety wagon carried us to the camp； in company with a young woman from Troy； who had a basket of good things with her for a sick brother。 〃Poor boy！ he will be sure to die；〃 she said。 The rustic sentries uncrossed their muskets and let us in。 The camp was on a fair plain； girdled with hills； spacious； well kept apparently； but did not present any peculiar attraction for us。 The visit would have been a dull one； had we not happened to get sight of a singular…looking set of human beings in the distance。 They were clad in stuff of different hues； gray and brown being the leading shades； but both subdued by a neutral tint； such as is wont to harmonize the variegated apparel of travel…stained vagabonds。 They looked slouchy； listless； torpid；an ill…conditioned crew； at first sight； made up of such fellows as an old woman would drive away from her hen…roost with a broomstick。 Yet these were estrays from the fiery army which has given our generals so much trouble；〃Secesh prisoners；〃 as a bystander told us。 A talk with them might be profitable and entertaining。 But they were tabooed to the common visitor； and it was necessary to get inside of the line which separated us from them。
A solid； square captain was standing near by； to whom we were referred。 Look a man calmly through the very centre of his pupils and ask him for anything with a tone implying entire conviction that he will grant it； and he will very commonly consent to the thing asked； were it to commit hari…kari。 The Captain acceded to my postulate； and accepted my friend as a corollary。 As one string of my own ancestors was of Batavian origin； I may be permitted to say that my new friend was of the Dutch type； like the Amsterdam galiots； broad in the beam； capacious in the hold； and calculated to carry a heavy cargo rather than to make fast time。 He must have been in politics at some time or other； for he made orations to all the 〃Secesh；〃 in which he explained to them that the United States considered and treated them like children； and enforced upon them the ridiculous impossibility of the Rebels attempting to do anything against such a power as that of the National Government。
Much as his discourse edified them and enlightened me； it interfered somewhat with my little plans of entering into frank and friendly talk with some of these poor fellows； for whom I could not help feeling a kind of human sympathy； though I am as venomous a hater of the Rebellion as one is like to find under the stars and stripes。 It is fair to take a man prisoner。 It is fair to make speeches to a man。 But to take a man prisoner and then make speeches to him while in durance is not fair。
I began a few pleasant conversations； which would have come to something but for the reason assigned。
One old fellow had a long beard； a drooping eyelid； and a black clay pipe in his mouth。 He was a Scotchman from Ayr； dour enough； and little disposed to be communicative； though I tried him with the 〃Twa Briggs；〃 and； like all Scotchmen； he was a reader of 〃Burrns。〃 He professed to feel no interest in the cause for which he was fighting； and was in the army； I judged； only from compulsion。 There was a wild…haired； unsoaped boy； with pretty； foolish features enough； who looked as if he might be about seventeen； as he said he was。 I give my questions and his answers literally。
〃What State do you come from？〃
〃Georgy。〃
〃What part of Georgia？〃
〃Midway。〃
＇How odd that is！ My father was settled for seven years as pastor over the church at Midway； Georgia； and this youth is very probably a grandson or great grandson of one of his parishioners。＇
〃Where did you go to church when you were at home？〃
〃Never went inside 'f a church b't once in m' life。〃
〃What did you do before you became a soldier？〃
〃Nothin'。〃
〃What do you mean to do when you get back？〃
〃Nothin'。〃
Who could have any other feeling than pity for this poor human weed； this dwarfed and etiolated soul； doomed by neglect to an existence but one degree above that of the idiot？
With the group was a lieutenant； buttoned close in his gray coat； one button gone； perhaps to make a breastpin for some fair traitorous bosom。 A short； stocky man； undistinguishable from one of the 〃subject race〃 by any obvious meanderings of the sangre azul on his exposed surfaces。 He did not say much； possibly because he was convinced by the statements and arguments of the Dutch captain。 He had on strong； iron…heeled shoes； of English make； which he said cost him seventeen dollars in Richmond。
I put the question； in a quiet； friendly way； to several of the prisoners； what they were fighting for。 One answered； 〃For our homes。〃 Two or three others said they did not know； and manifested great indifference to the whole matter； at which another of their number； a sturdy fellow； took offence； and muttered opinions strongly derogatory to those who would not stand up for the cause they had been fighting for。 A feeble； attenuated old man； who wore the Rebel uniform； if such it could be called； stood by without showing any sign of intelligence。 It was cutting very close to the bone to carve such a shred of humanity from the body politic to make a soldier of。
We were just leaving； when a face attracted me； and I stopped the party。 〃That is the true Southern type；〃 I said to my companion。 A young fellow； a little over twenty； rather tall； slight； with a perfectly smooth； boyish cheek； delicate； somewhat high features； and a fine； almost feminine mouth； stood at the opening of his tent； and as