13
                       On the Road
A wash at a picturesque mill and talk with
the miller, who looked like Joe Scoville.  On
the war-path � wagons, teamsters and march-
ing troops.  Recognized Frank Amesbury among
the teamsters.  Alternate riding and tramping
with Hall; mud, puddles and execrable roads.
Past Mc Clellan�s headquarters (at Cold Har-
bor, away to the left) and on the road.  To me-
chanicsville.  Met Deming, of the Associated
Press, who told us some news, among it that
Painter and Lumley had got into a scrape
about buying a stolen horse, and that the
former had been �sent home� in consequence;
which wasn�t the fact, I think.  Discovered
Gen. Smith�s Headquarters and, after much
difficulty Ayres� Battery.  By this time we
were very hungry and more than tired of trust-
ing to chance for food, hence I went to Capt.
Ayres and (according to Wilkeson�s suggestion,
asked his permission to join his mess, of
course paying for it.  This he refused not
too civilly.  However we got a meal in a ne-
gro cabin, under military protest, and
then departed, morally shaking off the mud
of our shoes against the inhospitable camp.  A
weary mile or so back, and a doze in the
woods, in the dead leaves for half an hour.