proceeded in a leisurely way toward the river. We
followed slowly and at night went into camp, the men and horses getting
a good rest. Scouts were coming in to make reports at all hours of the
night, so that it was practically true, as one of the old campaigners
remarked, that a horse couldn't whicker in the enemy's camp "but what
the General 'd hear it sooner or later."

Early the next morning we were on the road, and I had time for
reflecting that, after all, war was not a matter of flags and music.
The General was very considerate, however--a fact that was due to a
letter that General Maury had intrusted to Harry Herndon's care. We
were permitted to ride as temporary additions to General Forrest's
escort, and he seemed to single us out from among the rest with various
little courtesies, which I imagined was something unusual.

He was somewhat inquisitive about Whistling Jim, Harry's body-servant,
who he thought was a little too free and easy with white men. But he
seemed satisfied when Harry told him that the negro's forebears for
many generations back had belonged to the Herndons. We halted for a
light dinner, and when we had finished General Forrest made a careful
inspection of his men as they filed into the road.

We had gone but a few miles when we came to a point where the roads
forked. On one he sent a regiment, with Freeman's battery, with
instructions to reach the river ahead of the Federals and hold the ford
at all hazards until the main body could come up. This done, we swung
into the road that had been taken by the Federals and went forward at a
somewhat brisker pace.

"I'm going to give your nigger the chance of his life," remarked
General Forrest somewhat grimly, "and he'll either fling up his hands
and go to the Yankees, or he'll take to the woods."

"He may do one or the other," replied Harry; "but if he does either
I'll be very much surprised." General Forrest laughed; he was evidently
very sure that a negro would never stand up before gun-fire. A scout
came up to report that the Federals were moving much more rapidly than
they had moved in the morning.

"I reckon he's got wind of the column on the other road," the General
commented. "I allowed he'd hear of it. He's a mighty smart man, and
he's got as good men as can be found--Western fellows. If he had known
the number of my men in the woods back yander he'd 'a' whipped me out
of my boots." And then his eye fell again on Whistling Jim, who was