laughing and joking with some of the troopers. He called to the negro
in stern tones, and ordered him to ride close to his young master. "We
are going to have a little scrimmage purty soon, and a nigger that's
any account ought to be right where he can help his master if he gets
hurt."

Whistling Jim's face, which had grown very serious when he heard his
name called by the stern commander, suddenly cleared up and became
illuminated by a broad grin. "You hear dat, Marse Harry!" he exclaimed.
"I'm gwine in right behime you!" He reflected a moment, and then
uttered an exclamation of "Well, suh!"

About four o'clock in the afternoon the troopers under General Forrest
came in contact with Federals. This was in the nature of a surprise to
the Union commander, for there were persistent reports that Forrest had
passed on the other road, with the evident intention of harrying the
Federals at a point where they had no intention of crossing. So well
assured was he that these reports were trustworthy that he was
seriously considering the advisability of detaching a force
sufficiently large to capture the Confederate. He therefore paid small
attention to the attacks on his rear-guard. But presently the pressure
became so serious that he sent a member of his staff to investigate it.

Before the officer could perform this duty the rear-guard was compelled
to retreat on the main body in the most precipitate manner. Then the
attack ceased as suddenly as it began, and the Federal commander
concluded that, under all the circumstances, it would be best to cross
the river and get in touch with his base of supplies.

He went forward as rapidly as his troops could march, and he had a
feeling of relief when he came in sight of the river. It was higher
than it had been when he crossed it three or four days before, but
still fordable; but as his advance guard began to cross, Freeman's
battery, operated by young Morton, opened on them from the ambuscade in
which it had been concealed. The thing to do, of course, was to charge
the battery and either capture it or silence it, and the Federal
commander gave orders to that effect. But Forrest, looking at the
matter from a diametrically opposite point of view, knew that the thing
to do was to prevent the capture of the battery, and so he increased
the pressure upon the Federal rear to such an extent that his opponent
had no time to attend to the Confederate battery.

The Union commander was a ve