My task is done—would I could think it well done; but as it is it must go forth, like the ghost of Hamlet's father, with 'all its imperfections on its head.' I might have made it better—but I did not. The world moves on rapidly—things get jumbled up strangely in these troublous times—and, I suppose, the minds of men get confused and jumbled up also, for sympathy is a law of nature;—life is short, and greater men than I have made mistakes; but no man who fights in the cause of mankind—of universal freedom—can greatly err in its advocacy. The soldier who braves the hardships and perils of the campaign and suffers in a good cause, holds that cause dearer the more he endures for it; and the remembrance of those scenes, filled with glowing and startling pictures, often serves to renew that patriotic fire which forever burns in a corner of his heart. The armies of the rebellion have been flanked—the Confederacy will also soon be flanked, and, like my book, must sooner or later come to an
END.
Transcriber's Note:
Obvious typographical errors were repaired, but valid archaic spellings were retained.
Handwritten "Thomas Kirwan" on title page was retained, although it is uncertain whether this is an actual author's signature.
Darkey (3) was standardized to the more frequent darky (6).
[P. 124]: "all the facts in his possession"—original omitted the word "facts."