thought, and _think_
that the strange exemption our Battery experienced, our little loss, in
the midst of unnumbered perils, and incessant service, during that awful
campaign, was, that, in answer to our prayers, "the God of battles
covered our heads in the day of battle" and was merciful to us, because
we "called upon Him." If any think this a "fond fancy" _we don't_.

Well! to get back! After another hymn, and a closing prayer, we all
shook hands, and then, we took a regretful leave of our dear little
Church, and wended our way, quiet and thoughtful, to the road where we
found the guns standing, all ready to go. Pretty soon the
command--"Forward!" rang from the head of the line. We fell in alongside
our respective guns, and with a ringing cheer of hearty farewell to the
old Camp, we briskly took the road,--to meet, and to do, what was before
us.

We tramped along cheerily until about dark, when we bivouacked on the
side of the road, with orders to start at daylight next morning. As we
pushed along the road,--what road! gracious only knows, but a country
road bearing south toward Verdiersville,--brigades, and batteries joined
our march, from other country roads, by which we found that all our
people were rapidly pushing in from the camps and positions they had
occupied during the winter, and the army was swiftly concentrating.

It was very pleasant to us to get into the stir of the moving army
again, as we had been off, quite by ourselves, during the winter, and
the greetings and recognitions that flew back and forth as we passed, or
were passed by, well known brigades or batteries, were hearty and
vociferous. Such jokes and "chaffing" as went on! As usual, every
fellow had his remark upon everything and everybody he passed. Any
peculiarity of dress or appearance marked out a certain victim to the
witty gibes of the men, which had to be escaped from, or the victim had
to "grin and bear it." If "Puck" or "Punch" could have marched with a
Confederate column once, they might have laid in a stock of jokes and
witticisms,--and first-class ones, too,--for use the rest of their
lives.

Next morning, at daylight,--the 5th of May,--we promptly pulled out, and
soon struck the highway, leading from Orange Court House to
Fredericksburg, turned to the left and went sweeping on toward "The
Wilderness."

=The Spirit of the Soldiers of the South=

Here we got into the full tide of movement. Before and behind us the
long gray