The hospital at Washington dismissed me in disgrace because I got well so fast.

'What's the use,' said one of the doctors, 'in getting up and running away to the army to get killed?
You could die much more comfortably here in bed.' 'Not at all,' I replied.

'I don't get killed when I'm with the army.

I merely get nearly killed.

Then I lie unconscious on the field, in the rain, until some good friend comes along, takes me away on his back and puts me in a warm bed.