This kind of responsibility suited the men; and we had already found, as the whole army afterwards acknowledged, that the constitutional watchfulness and distrustfulness of the colored race made them admirable sentinels.

Soon after we went on picket, the commanding general sent an aid, with a cavalry escort, to visit all the stations, without my knowledge.

They spent the whole night, and the officer reported that he could not get within thirty yards of any post without a challenge.

This was a pleasant assurance for me; since our position seemed so secure, compared with Jacksonville, that I had feared some relaxation of vigilance, while yet the safety of all depended on our thorough discharge of duty.
Jacksonville had also seasoned the men so well that they were no longer nervous, and did not waste much powder on false alarms.

The Rebels made no formal attacks, and rarely attempted to capture pickets.