In July, 1865, the war being over, I took passage on the steamer "Lady Gay," bound from Cairo to New Orleans. There were no women on board, but there was a passenger list of thirty men or so. Some of us were ex-Confederates and some had been Federal soldiers.
The Outcome of a Strange Story
The two groups did not mingle. The members of each were polite upon accidental occasion to the members of the other, but they did not fraternize, at least for a time—till something happened.
I was talking one morning with some of my party when suddenly a man from the other group approached as if listening to my voice. Presently he asked:
"Didn't you command a mortar fort at Petersburg?"
I answered that I did, whereupon he asked:
"Do you remember——" and proceeded to outline the incident related above.
"Yes," I answered in astonishment, "but how do you happen to know anything about it?"
"I was one of your visitors on that occasion. I thought I couldn't be mistaken in the voice that commanded, 'Touch up the Railroad Iron Battery, Joe.'"
"But I don't understand. You were a Federal officer, were you not?"