The farmer watched the spectacle. Straight in front of the little portico on its tall staff fluttered the Commander's new, blood-red battle flag with its blue St. Andrew's cross and white stars rippling in the wind. Spurs were clanking, sabers rattling. A courier dashed up, dismounted and entered the house. Young officers in their new uniforms were laughing and chatting in groups before the door.
An escort brought in a Federal Cavalry prisoner on his mount. The boys gathered around him and roared with laughter. He was a good-natured Irishman who could take a joke. His horse was loaded down with a hundred pounds of extra equipment. The Irishman had half of it strapped on his own back.
A boy shouted:
"For the Lord's sake, did you take him with all that freight?"
An escort roared:
"That's why we took him. He couldn't run."
The boy looked at the solemn face of the prisoner and chaffed:
"And why have ye got that load on your own back, man?"
Without cracking a smile the Irishman replied:
"An' I thought me old horse had all he could carry!"