“'General, I would have slept till morning, without intermission, had I not been called.'
“'He was then introduced to Generals Cross and Smite, and all repaired to their elegant meal, and there discussed the occurrences of the day, the merits of the several officers who had fallen, etc.
“When supper was over, which continued quite late, Gen. Anderson repaired to his own headquarters, which had been moved up to and in a depression or cut near Antler's Run, on the east side. There he found his Adjutant-General, a few darkies, and old Ham.
“'How are you, Ham?' inquired the General. 'Are you still alive? You did not stay very close to me, to-day, so that you “might be safer,” did you Ham?'
“'No, Massa Tom. When you fust start out, I was gwine long wid you, but you lef me, and den you said nuffin 'bout me comin' wid you, and I spose you not kear 'bout habin me bodderin' you. Dat's all how it war, Massa Tom.'
“'Yes, Ham, I see. Well, it is all right. You stay with the headquarters and take care of my traps, and I will not ask you to take command of my troops in time of battle.'
“Ham laughed one of his peculiar guffaws.
“'Yah! yah! Massa Tom. I speck dat is de bes' way. Doz you want sumfin to eat? Got plenty of chicken. Dey git skeered at de fitin', and jes' cum rite to de camp, sah. Yes, sah, dey am 'fraid of de Sesh, dey is; dey know der friends, dese chickens do.'
“The General laughed, saying, 'Ham, are you quite sure they came into camp alone?'
“'Well, sah, dey got in heah some way. I not fotched dem in. De fuss I seed dem, dey in de corner ob de tent all scrouched up, so I spose dey hidin' from de Sesh, and I jes' took 'em in to sabe dem. Yes, sah; dat's de way it war.'