General Bragg, even if the old
citizen shot me in the back. When all at once a happy thought struck me.
Says I, "Mister, Byron Richardson is in your field, and if you will go
back we can catch him and you can take both of us to General Bragg."
The old fellow's spunk was up. He had captured me so easy, he no doubt
thought he could whip a dozen. We went back a short distance, and there
was Byron, who had just climbed over the fence and had his arms full,
when the old citizen, diverted from me, leveled his double-barrel at
Byron, when I made a grab for his gun, which was accidentally discharged
in the air, and with the assistance of Byron, we had the old fellow and
his gun both. The table was turned. We made the old fellow gather as
much as he could carry, and made him carry it nearly to camp, when we
dismissed him, a wiser if not a better and richer man. We took his gun
and bent it around a black jack tree. He was at the soldiers' mercy.

CHAPTER V

KENTUCKY

WE GO INTO KENTUCKY

After being thoroughly reorganized at Tupelo, and the troops had
recovered their health and spirits, we made an advance into Kentucky.
We took the cars at Tupelo and went to Mobile, from thence across Mobile
Bay to Montgomery, Alabama, then to Atlanta, from there to Chattanooga,
and then over the mountains afoot to the blue-grass regions of Kentucky--
the dark and bloody ground. Please remember, patient reader, that I
write entirely from memory. I have no data or diary or anything to go by,
and memory is a peculiar faculty. I find that I cannot remember towns
and battles, and remember only the little things. I remember how gladly
the citizens of Kentucky received us. I thought they had the prettiest
girls that God ever made. They could not do too much for us. They had
heaps and stacks of cooked rations along our route, with wine and cider
everywhere, and the glad shouts of "Hurrah for our Southern boys!"
greeted and welcomed us at every house. Ah, the boys felt like soldiers
again. The bands played merrier and livelier tunes. It was the patient
convalescing; the fever had left him, he was getting fat and strong;
the old fire was seen to illuminate his eyes; his step was buoyant and
proud; he felt ashamed that he had ever been "hacked"; he could fight
now. It was the same old proud soldier of yore. The bands played "Dixie"
and the "Bonnie Blue Flag," the citizens cheered, and the ladies waved
their handkerchiefs and