I like to stand and look at
the sight of one of these immense droves--a little way off--(as the
dust is great.) There are always men on horseback, cracking their
whips and shouting--the cattle low--some obstinate ox or steer
attempts to escape--then a lively scene--the mounted men, always
excellent riders and on good horses, dash after the recusant, and
wheel and turn--a dozen mounted drovers, their great slouch'd,
broad-brim'd hats, very picturesque--another dozen on foot--everybody
cover'd with dust--long goads in their hands--an immense drove of
perhaps 1000 cattle--the shouting, hooting, movement, &c.
HOSPITAL PERPLEXITY
To add to other troubles, amid the confusion of this great army of
sick, it is almost impossible for a stranger to find any friend or
relative, unless he has the patient's specific address to start upon.
Besides the directory printed in the newspapers here, there are one
or two general directories of the hospitals kept at provost's
head-quarters, but they are nothing like complete; they are never up
to date, and, as things are, with the daily streams of coming and
going and changing, cannot be. I have known cases, for instance such
as a farmer coming here from northern New York to find a wounded
brother, faithfully hunting round for a week, and then compell'd to
leave and go home without getting any trace of him. When he got home
he found a letter from the brother giving the right address.
DOWN AT THE FRONT
CULPEPPER, VA.
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