of the young than of the old, because it was, comparatively
speaking, recent. The old fellows seem to remember the old fights
better--those fights that were fought when their blood was still
young and the vessels thereof unclogged.

It was, by the way, my first campaign, but I was not new to the
business of blood; for I am no soldier--only a doctor. My only
uniform--my full-parade dress--is a red cross on the arm of an old
blue serge jacket--such jacket being much stained with certain dull
patches which are better not investigated.

All who have taken part in war--doing the damage or repairing it--
know that things are not done in quite the same way when ball-
cartridge is served out instead of blank. The correspondents are
very fond of reporting that the behaviour of the men suggested a
parade--which simile, it is to be presumed, was borne in upon their
fantastic brains by its utter inapplicability. The parade may be
suggested before the real work begins--when it is a question of
marching away from the landing-stage; but after the work--our work--
has begun, there is remarkably little resemblance to a review.

We are served with many official papers which we never fill in,
because, on the spur of the moment, it is apt to suggest itself that
men's lives are more important. We misapply a vast majority of our
surgical supplies, because the most important item is usually left
behind at headquarters or at the seaport depot. In fact, we do many
things that we should leave undone, and omit to do more which we are
expected (officially) to do.

For some reason--presumably the absence of better men--I was sent up