June, 1862.
June, 3
Have requested General Mitchell to relieve me from duty as Provost Marshal; am now wholly unfit to do business.We have heard of the evacuation of Corinth. The simple withdrawal of the enemy amounts to but little, if anything; he still lives, is organized and ready to do battle on some other field.
June, 5
Go home on sick leave.
June, 25
There were three little girls on the Louisville packet, about the age of my own children. They were great romps. I said to one, “what is your name?” She replied “Pudin‘ an‘ tame.” So I called her Pudin‘, and she became very angry, so angry indeed that she cried. The other little girls laughed heartily, and called her Pudin‘ also, and then asked my name. I answered John Smith; they insisted then that Pudin‘ was my wife, and called her Pudin‘ Smith. This made Pudin‘ furious, and she abused her companions and me terribly; but John Smith invested a little money in cherries, and thus pacified Pudin‘, and so got to Louisville without getting his hair pulled. I saw no more of Pudin‘ until she got off the cars at Elizabethtown. Going up to her, we [147] shook hands, and I said, “Good-by, Pudin‘.” She hung her head for a moment, and tried to look angry, but finally breaking into a laugh she said, “I do n't like you at all any way, good-by.”
June, 27
Reached Huntsville. The regiment in good condition, boys well; weather hot. General Buell arrived last night. McCook's Division is here; Nelson, Crittenden, and Wood on the road hither. [148]
