These farces, for which it was our duty to furnish the stock actors, always struck them as being utterly despicable, and unworthy the serious business of war.

They felt, I suppose, what Mr.Pickwick felt, when he heard his counsel remark to the counsel for the plaintiff, that it was a very fine morning.

It goaded their souls to see the young officers from the two opposing armies salute each other courteously, and interchange cigars.

They despised the object of such negotiations, which was usually to send over to the enemy some family of Rebel women who had made themselves quite intolerable on our side, but were not above collecting a subscription among the Union officers, before departure, to replenish their wardrobes.

The men never showed disrespect to these women by word or deed, but they hated them from the bottom of their souls.