very jaws of death. You
could see them fall almost in heaps, as it were.

"This character of contest continued until darkness set in, our columns
not moving or swerving in the least. At dark the enemy retreated. The
victory of Gen. Papson was complete. Had the whole army remained and
supported Papson during the day a great battle would have been won by
our army, and Biggs driven out of the country, although his army was
so greatly in excess of Rosen-felt's in numbers. As the battle closed
Papson received orders from Rosenfelt at Chatteraugus to fall back to
Rose-ville, which was done. They encamped there for the night.
Gen. Anderson and staff were worn out and hungry. They hunted their
Headquarters, but Headquarters were not there. Old Ham was nowhere to be
found, and no provision had been made for anything to eat. Gen. Anderson
was greatly annoyed, but thought perhaps there was some excuse for it,
as most of the men seemed to get lost during the day.

"Capt. Day and my son Jackson said to the General: 'Perhaps he is with
Rosenfelt, assisting him in reorganizing the army in Chatteraugus.'
Matters were really too serious for jokes to be very amusing or
interesting at that time, so the conversations on the subject of Ham
and his whereabouts ceased. The next day they marched to Chatteraugus
without disturbance from the enemy. Many of our men remained on the
battlefield that night (compelled to do so from exhaustion) and came on
to camp next morning without the enemy coming in sight. Gen. Rosenfelt
stated his loss at 16,000, and Biggs admitted his to be 18,000. The army
of Rosenfelt was all collected and concentrated at Chatteraugus.

"When Gen. Anderson came into camp he had a search made for Headquarters
wagons and tents, as well as for Ham. Finally one of the orderlies found
Ham down under the bank near the river and brought him to Gen. Anderson.
When Ham saw the General he was delighted and called out: "'My Laud,
Marsa Gen'l, I 'spected you done dead!' "'Yes,' said the General; 'but
it seems you did not wait to see.'

"'No, sir; dat am so. I staid doe, Marsa Gen'l, jes' as long as anybody
else do whar I been. I tell you, our mans all git, dey do; and when I
seed dat big Gen'l what's ober all ob you'uns (what am his name)--when
I seed him a gittin' from dar, I 'eluded it war about time for dis ole
nigga to march on dis way, too. Dat Gen'l, he not ride slow, I tell
you; he go fas'. And, afore de Laud, I 'spected you e