into any discussion that might have the effect of
damping his lieutenant's zeal. So let the morrow
care for itself.

They plunged at once into the preparatory
arrangements. In that occupation we leave them.

ADVENTURES OF A FEDERAL
RECRUIT.

AN Englishman, travelling through the State
of New York, I found myself reduced for a time
to destitution in its capital, by loss of my luggage,
containing everything I possessed in that
part of the world; not only my money, but also
letters of introduction, and my papers of all
kinds. There I was in the streets of New York,
possessing only the clothes I then stood in, and
some three dollars, in American notes. What
could I do? I was reckless; I was disheartened;
for how could I live until I should have written
home and got remittances from England? After
purposelessly wandering up and down the streets,
I strolled into the bar of an hotel which stood
before me, and soon found myself drawn into
conversation with a person dressed in the uniform
of the Federal States. He invited me to drink a
cobbler with him, and as it is dangerous in
America to decline such a request, I acceded to
his invitation. We drank several glasses together,
and I afterwards remembered noticing the
exchange of some expressive glances between
the soldier and the barkeeper; but I had no idea
that they could have any reference to me;
indeed, I was too reckless then to think much
about anything.

I soon found myself talking incoherently; my
head felt giddy, and the veins throbbed almost to
bursting. I had a faint consciousness that
something was said about getting me home, and that
I was lifted into some conveyance. I know
nothing more of what took place, until I awoke
next morning, and found myself lying on some
hard boards, filthy and dirty beyond description.
Near me lay several men in sky-blue uniform,
sleeping a drunken sleep; while some were
smoking, some were cursing, yelling, and howling,
and two were engaged in a desperate
fight, which awoke me. They were all Irish.
I soon found, from their conversation, that I
was in a guard-house on Staten Island. How or
why I came to be there, I knew not. I lay as
still as possible, that I might not provoke any
quarrel with my drunken and quarrelsome neighbours.
Some little time after I had been awake,
the door was opened, and we were all marched
out, every man between two dirty soldiers. An
officer stood at a little distance, before whom
each of us in turn was taken. My turn came; I
was still half stupid from the effect of the
drugged drink of the previous night; and as I
was dragged forward to him, he turned to a
sergeant near, and asked what that—not blessed—
Englisher was there for? " A drunken recruit for
the 168th New York Regiment," was the reply.

A drunken recruit! I began to protest, when
he savagely ordered me to shut up; and the
sergeant, a huge fellow, catching me by the
throat, shook me, and almost strangled me. A
corporal was then ordered to take me to a
tent, get my uniform, and see me put it on.
I was then marched off (a couple of bayonets
bringing up the rear), and pushed into a tent,
where a guard was set over me. In a few
minutes, a bundle of clothes was thrown in,
with orders that I was to put them on, and
be quick about it. I refused. In a few minutes
an officer appeared, who angrily asked, "Will
you put on those clothes, you English cuss?" I
still declined, and said that I was not a soldier.
"Bundle him into the guard-house, double iron
him, and see that he gets nothing but water till
he comes to his senses." A Yankee sutler who
was standing near, remarked as I passed:
"Guess you are in for it, Britisher!"

Into the guard-house I was accordingly
bundled, and heavily ironed. There, for six
days, I remained, without food, surrounded by
the filth of drunken and quarrelsome Irish
soldiers. Oh! the horrible stench of this place!
Each day I was taken before some officer, and
asked, " Will you put on that uniform?" Each
day I answered, " No." At length, the horrors
by which I was surrounded, and the weakness of
starvation, so far broke my spirit, that I consented.
I was taken to the same tent as before, I put on
the uniform, and I saw my own clothes burnt.

I was now secured, and might go at large in
the camp, for I could not escape. I was on an
island, connected with the mainland by two
steam ferries; one to New York, the other to
New Jersey; each strictly guarded. Patrols
also were posted over the whole island. Camp
Scott, in which I was detained, was surrounded
by a cordon of sentinels, stationed at intervals of
twenty yards, while beyond these, were pickets,
consisting of officers and non-commissioned
officers, all heavily armed. There was assigned
to me a share of a very small tent, already
containing five men, and we were at night so
closely packed that, once down, we were
compelled to remain in that position for the night.
It was impossible for us to turn; there was not
room. In this camp, which was a camp of
instruction, were the material of five regiments,
forming the Irish Brigade, under the command
of General Corcoran, distinguished for his insult
to the Prince of Wales.

Being allowed to walk about the camp, I
spent most of my spare time in wandering round
it, as close to the bounds as possible, longing for
and seeking any remote chance of freedom.
Escape, indeed, seemed hopeless, and for a time
I gave up the idea. I went almost mechanically
through the routine duty exacted; it was heavy
and tiresome; and to me, wrongfully detained,
almost insupportable. From daylight to dark,
I suffered drill, drill, drill. Soon after dusk we
were turned into our hot and dirty tent, and
then woe to the unlucky man who, half stifled,