The ultimate result was a habit of distrust, discontent, and desertion, that it was almost impossible to surmount.

All the men who knew anything about General Hunter believed in him; but they all knew that there were bad influences around him, and that the Government had repudiated his promises.

They had been kept four months in service, and then had been dismissed without pay.

That having been the case, why should not the Government equally repudiate General Saxton's promises or mine?
As a matter of fact, the Government did repudiate these pledges for years, though we had its own written authority to give them.

But that matter needs an appendix by itself.
The "Hunter Regiment" remained in camp on Hilton Head Island until the beginning of August, 1862, kept constantly under drill, but much demoralized by desertion.