A soldier of the Cumberland : memoir of Mead Holmes Jr., sergeant of Company K, 21st Regiment Wisconsin Volunteers

              ENLISTMENT. 69
a clear conviction of duty. The crowd began to disperse, but many lingered, and, waving their handkerchiefs, watched the vessel with her precious cargo until lost in the distance.
Our home seemed desolate. With every room he was intimately associated; his blackboard, his violin, his caiyion, his flag, the walls hung around with his handiwork, pictures of his own framing or drawing, and his portfolios contain¬ ing enough for a small picture gallery, — all seemed to say, " Shall he ever return ? "
Two days after, I received from Rev. C. W. Camp a very timely and consoling letter. I give a few extracts: " So you have had the trial of giving your son to the service of his country. I was at the boat as she called, going South, and he was pointed out to me. Well, on the whole, I think he has done well in deciding to go, and you have done well in deciding to give him up. The government calls on its able- bodied citizens to range themselves in two classes, — tliose who can go to the war without great loss or damage to the interests of family, business, and general welfare, and those who can not. A man in good health, without family, or not engaged in business which it is very difficult to leave, seems clearly to belong to the first class. There should be sometiiing peculiar in his case   to justify him in ranking himself