I do not think that one of them felt that he was doing anything especially meritorious.

He only obeyed the natural promptings of his loyal heart.
The business of signing the paroles was then begun in earnest.

We were separated into squads according to the first letters of our names, all those whose name began with A being placed in one squad, those beginning with B, in another, and so on.

Blank paroles for each letter were spread out on boxes and planks at different places, and the signing went on under the superintendence of a Rebel Sergeant and one of the prisoners.
The squad of M's selected me to superintend the signing for us, and I stood by to direct the boys, and sign for the very few who could not write.

After this was done we fell into ranks again, called the roll of the signers, and carefully compared the number of men with the number of signatures so that nobody should pass unparoled.