should perform some act
of conspicuous gallantry in battle, and they had each resolved to earn
the offered reward, and to be privates no longer. They were tired of
carrying muskets and cartridge-boxes; and, in the next fight, as they
expressed it, they had determined to be "distinguished or extinguished."

The determined manner with which it was said impressed me, so that I
awaited results with interest. A fortnight had not elapsed before their
opportunity came, and they proved true to their resolve. Under a galling
fire their regiment hesitated to advance, when the two lads pushed to
the front of the line of battle and climbed an intervening fence. Chapin
was killed, and Barclay, who survives to this day, received for his
daring courage the promised commission as lieutenant.

CHAPTER XXIV

BATTLE OF MINE RUN--MARCH TO FREDERICK'S HALL--WINTER-QUARTERS--SOCIAL
AFFAIRS--AGAIN TO THE FRONT--NARROW ESCAPE FROM CAPTURE BY GENERAL
DAHLGREN--FURLOUGHS--CADETS RETURN FROM NEW MARKET--SPOTTSYLVANIA AND
THE WILDERNESS--RETURN TO ARMY AT HANOVER JUNCTION--PANIC AT NIGHT

The movement in which we were next engaged included the battle of Mine
Run, which has been designated by a military critic as "a campaign of
strategy," an account of which is, therefore, not within my province.
The Federals on this occasion did most of the marching and, after
crossing the Rapidan at several different fords, were confronted not far
from our quarters at Mine Run, in Orange County. After breaking camp our
first intimation that a battle was expected was the invariable profusion
of playing-cards along the road. I never saw or heard of a Bible or
prayer-book being cast aside at such a time, but cards were always
thrown away by soldiers going into battle.

After a spirited engagement between Johnson's division and Warren's
corps, the Federals lost time sufficient for the Confederates to
construct a formidable line of breastworks. The position occupied by our
battery was in the midst of a brigade of North Carolinians who had seen
some service in their own State, but had never participated in a real
battle. From a Federal shell, which burst some distance overhead, a thin
piece twirled downward and fell like a leaf within a few feet of our
gun. I saw one of their lieutenants, who was lying in the trench, eye it
suspiciously, then creep out and pick it up. Presently the colonel of
his regiment passed along and the lieutenant said, as he held up