A war-beaten veteran of Longstreet’s corps made a funny remark to a prominent politician who conversed with him while coming in from the front. Said he, “I do not understand this; Lee has won a big victory over Grant on the Rapidan, and told us so, and that night we retreated. Then he won another in the Wilderness, and told us so, and we retreated to Spottsylvania. Then he won another tre-men-jus victory, and I got tuk prisoner; but I reckon he has retreated ag’in. Now, when he used to lick them, the Yanks fell back and claimed a victory, and we understood it. Now Lee claims victories, and keeps a fallin’ back, and I can’t understand it.”