Not to seem partial, I made friends and told fortunes among all the companies garrisoned there; but I gave Company C the great bulk of my attentions.

I made myself limitlessly obliging to these particular men; they could ask me no favor, put upon me no risk, which I would decline.

I became the willing butt of their jokes; this perfected my popularity; I became a favorite.
I early found a private who lacked a thumb--what joy it was to me! And when I found that he alone, of all the company, had lost a thumb, my last misgiving vanished; I was SURE I was on the right track.

This man's name was Kruger, a German.

There were nine Germans in the company.