"Yes, sa, I does; more dan all dis wuld; more dan a million of dollars, sa: for what would dat be wuf to a man wid de bref out of him? Self-perserbashum am de fust law wid me."
"But why should you act upon a different rule from other men?"
"Because different men set different values upon dar lives: mine is not in de market."
"But if you lost it, you would have the satisfaction of knowing that you died for your country."
"What satisfaction would dat be to me when de power ob feelin' was gone?"
"Then patriotism and honor are nothing to you?"
"Nuffin whatever, sa: I regard dem as among de vanities: and den de Gobernment don't know me; I hab no rights; may be sold like old hoss any day, and dat's all."
"If our old soldiers were like you, traitors might have broken up the Government without resistance."
"Yes, sa; dar would hab been no help for it. I wouldn't put my life in de scale 'ginst any gobernment dat ever existed; for no gobernment could replace de loss to me."
"Do you think any of your company would have missed you if you had been killed?"