CAMP WYMAN FILLED WITH PRISONERS.

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Thus were the ranks of copper-bottomed prisoners rapidly recruited, until the narrow limits of Fort Wyman could not contain them. Among them were Lieut. Col. Somers, Captains Worsham and Bohannon, together with other officers of lesser note. Numbers were sent to St. Louis for confinement in the Gratiot prison; some renounced their faith in secession, expressing a willingness to enlist in the Federal service, and thereupon were released, joining some of the Missouri regiments. One of the prisoners, a boy eighteen years of age, was visited by his mother and sisters, who urged him to renounce secession, swear allegiance to the Government of the United States and return home with them. Their appeal was in vain. On their knees, with streaming eyes and swelling hearts, they implored him to give up the heresy of secession, but he, with firmness and a self-reliance and composure far beyond his years, declared that he would rot in prison before he would take the hated oath or violate his obligation to the Confederate Government--an exhibition of firmness and independence of character which in a righteous cause would have been admired and commended.

The scouting parties which penetrated the enemy's country, yielding a rich harvest of prisoners, were almost exclusively composed of cavalry, while the infantry remained in the camps of instruction or in the performance of Post duty, sometimes at other stations than Rolla. Capt. Miller, with Company B, in the month of December occupied St. Clair, a small station on the railroad, fifty miles east of Rolla, holding it as a Post for several days; but guard duty was light, and the troops both at Rolla and along the railroad were comparatively idle. As yet the weather was too delightful to permit the thought of winter quarters, and it was impossible for the troops to divest themselves of the belief that to-morrow, or next day, or the day after, they would cer

tainly move to fields of more exciting interest than the dull routine of the camp. O this interminable waiting! Nothing so demoralizes men, so dilutes their manhood, so corrodes their patriotism, destroys their enthusiasm, steals away their cheerfulness and impairs their health, as to pen them up in camp and condemn them to weeks and months of listless do-nothingism. Card playing, at first resorted to as an occasional pastime, eventually degenerates into gambling, out of which grow quarrels and the acquisition of bad habits not easily overcome. In time the intelligent and refined become rough and brutal, a result traced directly to the enervating influence of idle hours. Crimination and recrimmination among officers, followed by charges and courts martial, are the inevitable fruit of idleness. For those who are constantly busy, either physically or mentally, have not time to indulge in wrangles, or share in the rivalries and jealousies which spring up among those ambitious of position and restive under restraint.

The equanimity of camp was disturbed by the appearance of Lieut. Walker of Company I, armed with a commission from Gov. Yates and backed by orders from the Department Commander. Walker's friends in the Company greeted him warmly, but a hurricane or an earthquake could not have produced more consternation to his enemies than his untimely apparition among them. Walker promptly reported himself for duty, and at dress parades he and Lieut. Merrill stood side by side, neither yielding an inch, while Walker's Commission, (the only one in the regiment), and orders from Department headquarters secured his person from violence, but could not smother the rage and infinite disgust of his enemies. The whole camp was in a ferment, and, however much men desired it, it was next to impossible to remain in a state of neutrality. Dissensions between regimental officers arose in regard to the course to be

LIEUT. WALKER PREFERS CHARGES.

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pursued towards Walker. Days passed, and still the Colonel remained firm and steadfastly refused to officially recognize Walker's claims to the position of First Lieutenant.

This finally culminated in charges preferred by Walker against Col. Greusel, Capt. Camp and Lieut. Merrill, the substance of which charges were to the effect that Col. Greusel refused to recognize the Commission of the Governor of the State of Illinois; that together with Capt. Camp he had resisted with force and arms his reinstatement in his position in the Company. Their arrest and suspension from duty soon followed, and Lieut. Walker was placed in command of the Company. Shortly after, while absent as officer of the day, an effigy was hung in a tree upon which was written, "I've got my posish!" which attracted large crowds from every part of the Regiment. Lieut. Col. Joslyn caused its removal and administered a scathing rebuke to the officer of the guard for allowing such an outrage to be perpetrated within the confines of the camp. Weeks passed and matters remained in statu quo, no commission being appointed to try the charges until January, after Gen. Curtis had assumed the command of the "Army of the Southwest," when G. M. DODGE, Col. 4th Iowa Vol., C. B. HOLLAND, Lieut. Col. 25th Missouri Vol., and Major ENGLISH, 4th Iowa Vol., were appointed a Court Martial to investigate the charges and try the cases.

At the time of the organization of the Court the regiment was on the march to the southwest and Walker absent in command of the Company. Col. Brackett, as mustering officer of the regiment, was the only witness examined, and testified to the muster of Capt. Camp and Lieut. Merrill as officers of the Company, that Walker was not present and was not mustered in any position in the Company. In five minutes after the case was closed, the officers were released from arrest and ordered to the regiment for duty.

Col. Greusel joined the regiment on the Big Piney Creek and assumed command. He was received with a perfect storm of cheers from the men and welcomed back to his old position. Poor Walker, professing to have had enough of mud and marching for that campaign, returned forlorn and dejected to Rolla, resigned his commission, and ever after from Company I and the 36th Regiment was going-going-gone!

Though rid of Walker, the Regiment was not rid of dissensions growing out of his case, that were too deep seated to be summarily disposed of, and which for a long time impaired the harmonious, half family relations which should exist between officers of the same regiment or command. Had Lieut. Merrill been as early and as easily disposed of as Walker, he would have escaped a humiliating record which for all time must be a blot upon his military career.

CHAPTER VIII.

ROLLA TO PEA RIDGE.

ARLY IN January, Brig. Genl. SAMUEL R. CURTIS was appointed to the Command of the "Army of the South West," and proceeding to Rolla assumed directions of military matters in that quarter. Gen. Curtis was born in Ohio, and at that time was fifty-six years of age. He

was educated at West Point, from which institution he graduated with honor in 1831. After nearly two years' service in the infantry branch of the regular army, he resigned his commission, studied and practiced law for a while. Having a natural taste for engineering, and his acquirements fitting him for that profession, he gave up the practice of law and was for some time employed as chief engineer on various public works. At the breaking out of the Mexican war he volunteered his services, was appointed Colonel, and served under Gen. Taylor throughout his campaigns. He was for a time Military Governor of the City of Monterey, and in the performance of the duties of this position displayed superior tact and rare administrative ability. After his return, he resumed the pursuit of engineering, and took an active part in many of the public improvements which opened up