"I carry dispatches to General Pemberton, and the more information I can give him the better." "Yes, I kin tell you," replied the man, somewhat flattered.

"They're posted everywhere.

What, with their army and them boats of theirs in the river, they've got a high fence around us, all staked and ridered." "It doesn't take any more work to tear a fence down than it does to build it up." "I reckon you're right thar, stranger.

But was you at Champion Hill ?" "No, I missed that." "Then it was a good thing for you that you did.

I didn't set much store by the Yanks when this war began.