Itwasasenselesswasteofthelivesofprivatesoldiers,andthepropertyoftheUnitedStatesbypretentiousblunderers,who,insomeinscrutablemanner,hadattainedtoresponsiblecommands。Inthisinstance,abunglingBrigadiernamedSeymorehadmarchedhisforcesacrosstheStateofFlorida,todohehardlyknewwhat,andintheneighborhoodofanenemyofwhosenumbers,disposition,location,andintentionshewasprofoundlyignorant。TheRebels,underGeneralFinnegan,waitedtillhehadstrunghiscommandalongthroughswampsandcanebrakes,scoresofmilesfromhissupports,andthenfellunexpectedlyuponhisadvance。Theregimentwasoverpowered,andanotherregimentthathurrieduptoitssupport,sufferedthesamefate。Thebalanceoftheregimentsweresentininthesamemanner——eacharrivingonthefieldjustafteritspredecessorhadbeenthoroughlywhippedbytheconcentratedforceoftheRebels。Themenfoughtgallantly,butthestupidityofaCommandingGeneralisathingthatthegodsthemselvesstriveagainstinvain。Wesufferedahumiliatingdefeat,withalossoftwothousandmenandafinerifledbattery,whichwasbroughttoAndersonvilleandplacedinpositiontocommandtheprison。
ThemajorityoftheSeventhNewHampshirewereanunwelcomeadditiontoournumbers。TheywereN\'Yaarkers——oldtimecolleaguesofthosealreadyinwithus——veteranbountyjumpers,thathadbeendrawntoNewHampshirebythesizeofthebountyofferedthere,andhadbeenassignedtofillupthewastedranksoftheveteranSeventhregiment。Theyhadtriedtodesertassoonastheyreceivedtheirbounty,buttheGovernmentclungtothemliterallywithhooksofsteel,sendingmanyofthemtotheregimentinirons。Thusfoiled,theydesertedtotheRebelsduringtheretreatfromthebattlefield。TheywerequiteanaccessiontotheforceofourN\'Yaarkers,andhelpedmuchtoestablishthehoodlumreignwhichwasshortlyinauguratedoverthewholeprison。
TheForty—EighthNewYorkerswhocameinwereasetofchapssooddineverywayastobeasourceofnever—failinginterest。Thenameoftheirregimentwas\'L\'EnfantsPerdu\'（theLostChildren）,whichweanglicizedinto\"TheLostDucks。\"ItwasbelievedthateverynationinEuropewasrepresentedintheirranks,anditusedtobesaidjocularly,thatnotwoofthemspokethesamelanguage。AsnearasIcouldfindouttheywereallornearlyallSouthEuropeans,Italians,Spaniards;Portuguese,Levantines,withapredominanceoftheFrenchelement。Theyworealittlecapwithanupturnedbrim,andastraprestingonthechin,acoatwithfunnylittletalesabouttwoincheslong,andabrasschainacrossthebreast;andforpantaloonstheyhadasortofapetticoatreachingtotheknees,andsewedtogetherdownthemiddle。Theywerejustassingularotherwiseasintheirlooks,speechanduniform。Ononeoccasionthewholemobofuswentoverinamasstotheirsquadtoseethemcookandeatalargewatersnake,whichtwoofthemhadsucceededincapturingintheswamps,andcarriedofftotheirmess,jabberinginhighgleeovertheirtreasuretrove。Anyofuswerereadytoeatapieceofdog,cat,horseormule,ifwecouldgetit,but,itwasgenerallyagreed,asDawson,ofmycompanyexpressedit,that\"NobodybutoneofthemdarnedqueerLostDuckswouldeatavarmintlikeawatersnake。\"
MajorAlbertBogle,oftheEighthUnitedStates,（colored）hadfallenintothehandsoftherebelsbyreasonofaseverewoundintheleg,whichlefthimhelplessuponthefieldatOolustee。TheRebelstreatedhimwithstudiedindignity。Theyutterlyrefusedtorecognizehimasanofficer,orevenasaman。InsteadofbeingsenttoMaconorColumbia,wheretheotherofficerswere,hewassenttoAndersonville,thesameasanenlistedman。Nocarewasgivenhiswound,nosurgeonwouldexamineitordressit。Hewasthrownintoastockcar,withoutabedorblanket,andhauledovertherough,joltingroadtoAndersonville。
OnceaRebelofficerrodeupandfiredseveralshotsathim,ashelayhelplessonthecarfloor。FortunatelytheRebel\'smarksmanshipwasasbadashisintentions,andnoneoftheshotstookeffect。Hewasplacedinasquadnearme,andcompelledtogetupandhobbleintolinewhentherestweremusteredforroll—call。Noopportunitytoinsult,\"theniggerofficer,\"wasneglected,andtheN\'YaarkersviedwiththeRebelsinheapingabuseuponhim。Hewasafine,intelligentyoungman,andboreitallwithdignifiedself—possession,untilafteralapseofsomeweekstheRebelschangedtheirpolicyandtookhimfromtheprisontosendtowheretheotherofficerswere。