We had everything on board and our cabins assigned us and our "war kits" in which we set forth taken off, and were in yachting flannels ready for the five days cruise.

I had the devil of a time getting out to the flagship, as they call the headquarters boat.

I went out early in the morning of the night when I last wrote you.

I stayed up all that night watching troops arrive and lending a helping hand and a word of cheer to dispirited mules and men, also segars and cool drinks, none of them had had food for twenty-four hours and the yellow Florida people having robbed them all day had shut up and wouldn't open their miserable shops.

They even put sentries over the drinking water of the express company which is only making about a million a day out of the soldiers.