We remained at Savannah nearly a month, refitting and repairing for the next campaign. Christmas day was passed here, but there was no Christmas trees, nor did any Santa Claus appear to reward us for our good behavior. We had been paid off before leaving Atlanta, and consequently there was a good deal of money in camp, and the "chuck-a-luck" gamesters were in the height of their season. Gambling was positively against orders, but all the same it was carried on, and wherever a squad of men could be seen grouped together, you might be sure there was a chuck-a-luck board in full play. The guards detailed to arrest these fellows, had a lively time of it. Every point of strategy of which they were cognizant, was employed to bring the offenders to justice. Coming on them by a flank movement, surrounding them, or approaching them by a direct charge on the double quick. All their manoeuvering generally came to naught, for some one was always on the lookout, and was sure to see the first appearance of danger, and with a shout would give the alarm, when all would take to their heels, leaving the pursuers to reflect on the uselessness of their endeavors. But sometimes the guards would make a capture, and march the luckless offenders off to headquarters, where, after receiving a lecture on the immoral practice of gambling in general, and of chuck-a-luck in particular, he would be ordered to stand on a barrel, or carry a rail on his shoulder for a few hours.

Savannah is a beautiful city, the streets are wide and lined with live oak trees, with promenades beneath them, and the dwelling houses are very handsome, the yards and gardens are filled with the richest and most varied kind of plants and shrubs. Here we saw the monument erected to the memory of Count Pulaski, a beautiful shaft, covered at its base with appropriate inscriptions, recording, in letters of stone, the memory of him in whose honor it was raised. The city has some charming parks, and when not on duty, we would pass the time rambling around and noting all that was to be seen. Here one day the writer and a comrade, having secured the necessary pass, proceeded to the river, and obtaining a boat, pushed off, bound on a visit to the gunboat Wissahickon, then anchored in the stream below the city, her crew being employed in fishing for torpedoes which the rebels had thrown into the channel of the river, in order that they might blow up our vessels as they proceeded up the stream to the wharfs. We had a pleasant row, and an equally pleasant visit with the officers and crew. We were the first of Sherman's men that they had seen, and they were very anxious to know the particulars of the march; we told them our adventures since leaving Atlanta, which seemed greatly to excite their wonder and admiration. We left the Wissahicken with kindly feelings for all on board, and as we pulled up the river back toward the city, we sang:

We arrived safely in camp, feeling that we had passed a pleasant day.

When we arrived at Savannah we were the proud owner of a very large red rooster, whom we named "Jeremiah," but for short we generally addressed him as "Jerry." He was a character, if ever a rooster could be termed such, and if he had not acquired a great knowledge as the man's chickens who, on account of his many moves and changes, they had got so in the habit of having their legs tied, that they would, whenever they saw a covered wagon, run into the front yard, fall on their backs, and cross their legs ready for tieing; if Jeremiah had not learnt this much, he still was very easily managed, and would stand round of a morning while "Dick," our darkey, was loading down our pack mule with blankets, and other necessaries, getting ready for the march, and when it came time for "Jerry" to be lifted to his place on top of the load, he would make no objection, but would suffer himself to be tied on securely, and there he would ride all day. This had come to be such an every day matter, that it was almost a second nature to him, and his amazement was great, when day after day passed, and he was not called on to take his accustomed place on top of our portable treasures. "Jeremiah" waxed-fat, and would every now and then express his satisfaction at the situation, by a shrill crow. But the boys were getting tired of him, for in spite of our endeavors "Jerry" would somehow manage to get in our tents, and sleep, and at the first dawn of day, his crow would ring upon our ears. This was all right enough while we were on the march, but now that we were in camp, they failed to appreciate it, so threats of vengeance were loudly made. We begged and plead for him, but all to no purpose, "they were not going to have that miserable rooster crowing in their ears every morning," they said, so finally we had to yield to the pressure of public opinion, and gave the order for "Jerry" to be executed, which was accordingly done, and we whetted our teeth to devour him. "Jeremiah" was undoubtedly an old bird, for constant boiling all day, failed to render him tender. But we had a feast, all the same, as "Jerry," after being cut up in small pieces, and having for accompaniment a large piece of pork, and a handful or two of hardtack, made a camp kettle full of food. We picked poor "Jerry's" bones clean, thereby proving, although in different words, the truth of the old adage, "the big roosters eat up the little ones."