He was courteous and pleasant, but very reserved.

He interfered with no one, obeyed orders promptly and without remark, and was always present for duty.

Scrupulously neat in dress, always as clean-shaved as an old-fashioned gentleman of the world, with manners and conversation that showed him to have belonged to a refined and polished circle, he was evidently out of place as a private soldier in a company of reckless and none-too-refined young Illinois troopers, but he never availed himself of any of the numerous opportunities offered to change his associations.
His elegant penmanship would have secured him an easy berth and better society at headquarters, but he declined to accept a detail.

He became an exciting mystery to a knot of us imaginative young cubs, who sorted up out of the reminiscential rag-bag of high colors and strong contrasts with which the sensational literature that we most affected had plentifully stored our minds, a half-dozen intensely emotional careers for him.

We spent much time in mentally trying these on, and discussing which fitted him best.