Like all other recruits, as soon as mustered in I was placed under drill. To me the "steps" and "facings," "times" and "motions," were perfectly incomprehensible. I formed a dislike to them that I could never get over. I was expert in the forest at handling my piece, and I did not see why the same times and motions that would kill a bear would not kill a "reb." The following is a list of the commissioned officers that were in the 20th Ohio Volunteer Infantry at the time that I entered it: CHARLES WHITTLESY, Colonel, M. F. FORCE, Colonel, J. N. MCELROY, Major, E. L. HILL, Surgeon, J. G. PURPLE, Asst. Surgeon, E. N. OWEN, Adjutant, P. M. HITCHCOCK, Qr.-Master, JAMES KNAPP, Chaplain. Elisha Hiatt, Captain Co. A. W. W. Updegraff, Captain Co. F. William Rogers, 1st Lt. Co. A. D. R. Hume, 1st Lt. Co. F. L. N. Ayres, 2d Lt. Co. A. W. D. Neal, 2d Lt. Co. F. John C. Fry, Captain Co. B. J. N. Cassel, Captain Co. G. A. J. Edwards, 1st Lt. Co. B. G. L. Melick, 1st Lt. Co. G. R. M. Colby, 2d Lt. Co. B. Nathan Bostwick, 2d Lt. Co. G. J. M. McCoy, Captain Co. C. James Powers, Captain Co. H. Z. P. Atkins, 1st Lt. Co. C. E. C. Downs, 1st Lt. Co. H. Conrad Garris, 2d Lt. Co. C. H. M. Davis, 2d Lt. Co. H. C. H. McElroy, Captain Co. D. F. M. Shaklee, Captain Co. L. V. T. Hills, 1st Lt. Co. D. Harrison Wilson, 1st Lt. Co. L. Henry Sherman, 2d Lt. Co. D. W. L. Waddell, 2d Lt. Co. L. George Rogers, Captain Co. E. Abraham Kaga, Captain Co. K. B. A. F. Greer, 1st Lt. Co. E. David Rhinehart, 1st Lt. Co. K. W. H. Jacobs, 2d Lt. Co. E. Seneca Hale, 2d Lt. Co. K. CHAPTER II. Moves to Cincinnati--Detailed to guard the forts--Meets a secesh lady--First scout--Unexpected visit of the Colonel--The drill--Bad report--The mischief investigated--Attempts to discover the rogues--Innocent man accused--The accusers skedaddle--Who got the chickens. Shortly after I joined the regiment it moved to the city barracks in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was the duty of the regiment at that time to guard the fortifications that had been built to protect the cities of Cincinnati, Covington, and Newport. Not long after we arrived at the barracks, company "H," to which I belonged, was detailed for a three days' tour at guarding the line of defenses. Lieutenant Downs, with a squad consisting of three sergeants and twenty-seven men, were sent to guard that part of the defenses known as the Three-mile Batteries. I was one of the squad. These batteries formed a chain of defenses running eastward from the Licking River at a distance of two miles and a half south of the city of Newport. Beginning near the Licking River, was situated Fort Shaler; a mile and a half east was Fort Stuart, and a mile and a half east of that was Beechwoods Battery.