Monday [June] 15 [1863]

Same routine -- with probably
a little more severe artillery
fire on some portions of our
line than usual --
At night when we were
posting our pickets in front
of Lee - the officer in charge
found the enemy posting his
at the same time -- when they
had come with their men to
within two or three yards of
one another -- said the Confed-
erate officer "Don't come any
nearer". "Don't you come any
nearer: replied the Yankee.
"Well, I'm ordered to place my
pickets here and I must do
it -- so keep off"
"But I've got this part of the
line now" said the Yank "let's
make an agreement not to fire
on each other"
"I can't do that" said the
Confed -- "but don't come any
closer", and there by a sort
of tacit agreement the pickets
of the opposing armies stood
all night so close to each
other that they could have
crossed bayonets. Conver-
sations are carried on every
night from the trenches by our
troops with the enemy -- those
on each side exercising their
wits at repartee &c--