t's veteran
cavalry. The fire was growing hotter, and balls were
uncomfortably thick. At length, the enemy in strong force,
with banners flying, bore down toward us in full sight,
apparently bent on mischief. Pointing to the advancing
column, I said, as I passed along the line, 'Boys, it looks
very much like fight; keep cool, do your duty.' They seemed
full of glee, and replied with great enthusiasm: 'Colonel,
dey can't whip us, dey nebber get de ole 14th out of heah,
nebber.' 'Nebber, drives us away widout a mighty lot of dead
men,' &c., &c.

"When Forest learned that Rousseau was re-enforced by
infantry, he did not stop to ask the color of the skin, but
after testing our line, and finding it unyielding, turned to
the east, and struck over toward Murfreesboro.

"An incident occurred here, illustrating the humor of the
colored soldier. A spent ball struck one of the men on the
side of the head, passed under the scalp, and making nearly
a circuit of the skull, came out on the other side. His
comrades merrily declared that when the ball struck him, it
sang out 'too thick' and passed on.

"As I was walking with my adjutant down toward the picket
line, a ball struck the ground immediately in front of us,
about four feet away, but it was so far spent as to be
harmless. We picked it up and carried it along.

"Our casualties consisted of a few men slightly wounded. We
had not had a battle, but it was for us a victory, for our
troops had stood face to face with a triumphant force of
Southern cavalry, and stopped their progress. They saw that
they had done what Rousseau's veterans could not do. Having
traveled 462 miles, we returned to Chattanooga, feeling that
we had gained valuable experience, and we eagerly awaited
the next opportunity for battle, which was not long delayed.

"DECATUR, ALA.--Our next active service was at Decatur,
Alabama. Hood, with his veteran army that had fought Sherman
so gallantly from Chattanooga to Atlanta, finding that his
great antagonest had started southward and seaward, struck
out boldly himself for Nashville. Oct. 27th I reported to
General R. S. Granger, commanding at Decatur. His little
force was closely besieged by Hood's army, whose right
rested on the Tennessee river below the town, and