arm hanging nearly at its full length near the body; the thumb and forefinger embracing the guard, the remaining fingers closed together, and grasping the swell of the stock just under the cock, which rests on the little finger.”  I simply could not execute the shoulder, or carry, with any precision, although the positions of support, right-shoulder-shift, present, and all the rest, gave me no trouble after they were reached; reaching them, from the shoulder was the great trouble.

Wilson ended by ordering me off and reporting me to the Captain.

Captain Haskell sent for me.  He said kindly, “Jones, Sergeant Wilson gives a bad report of you.”

“I do the best I can, Captain.”

“The sergeant seems to think that you are obstinate on some peculiar point that he did not make me fully understand.  He gives you great praise for learning the facings and the steps, but says you will not learn the manual.”

“I don’t understand my awkwardness, Captain.  There is something wrong about it.”

“You find the manual difficult?”

“Not only difficult, but absurd,” said I; “it makes me nervous.”

“And the facings and steps were not difficult?”

“Not at all; they seemed easy and natural.”

“Take your gun and come with me,” said the Captain; “I think I have a clew to the situation.”

Behind the Captain’s simple quarters was an open space.  He made me take position.  He also took position, with a rifle at his side.

“Now, look,” said he; “see this position, which I assume to be the shoulder natural to you.”

His gun was at his left side, the barrel to the front, the palm of his left hand under the butt.

“Now,” said he, “this is the shoulder of the heavy infantry manual.  I think you were drilled once in a company which had this shoulder.  It may not have been in your recent regiment that you were so drilled, for this shoulder obtained in all the militia companies of Carolina before the war.  Many regiments still hold to it.  Follow my motions now—­Support—­ARMS!”

The Captain’s right hand grasped the piece at the small of the stock; his left arm was thrown across his breast, the cock resting on the forearm; his right hand fell quickly to his side.

I imitated him.  I felt no nervousness, and told him so.

“I thought so,” said he; “now, just remember that all the other positions in the manual are unchanged.  It is only the shoulder, or carry, as we sometimes call it, that has been changed.  You will like the new drill.”

He began to put me through the exercises, and although I had difficulty, yet I had some success.

“Now report to Sergeant Wilson again,” said the Captain.

I told the sergeant that I thought I could now do better; that I had been confused by the light infantry carry, never having seen drill except from the heavy infantry shoulder.  Wilson kept me at work for almost an hour, and expressed satisfaction with my progress.  Under his training I was soon able to drill with the company.