Occurrences such as these, may sadden for the moment the soldier, but they produce no lasting depression.
"Don't you think I had oughter
Be a going down to Washington
To fight for Abraham's Daughter?"
sang our ex-news-boy Birdy, on one of those cold damp evenings in early December, when the smoke of the fires hung like a pall over the camp ground, and the eyes suffered terribly if their owner made any attempt at standing erect.
"And who is Abraham's Daughter?" queried one of a prostrate group around a camp fire.
"Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean," continued Birdy, to another popular air, until he was joined by a manly swell of voices in the closing line—
"Three cheers for the Red, White, and Blue!"
"Not much life here," continued Birdy, seating himself. "I have just left the 2—th. There is a high old time over there. They have got the dead wood on old Pigey nice."
"In what way?" inquired the crowd.
"You know that long, slim fellow of Co. E, in that Regiment, who is always lounging about the Hospital, and never on duty."