age of Waynesboro, where we arrived about noon. As
I was passing along the main street, somewhat in advance of the battery,
Frank Preston came running out of one of the houses--the Waddells'--and,
with his usual take-no-excuse style, dragged me in to face a family of
the prettiest girls in Virginia. I was immediately taken to the
dining-room, where were "jam puffs" sure enough, and the beautiful Miss
Nettie to divide my attention.

The next day we camped near Staunton and remained a day. Conjecturing
now as to Jackson's program was wild, so we concluded to let him have
his own way. The cadets of the Virginia Military Institute, most of whom
were boys under seventeen, had, in this emergency, been ordered to the
field, and joined the line of march as we passed through Staunton, and
the young ladies of that place made them the heroes of the army, to the
disgust of the "Veterans" of the old Stonewall Brigade. Our course was
now westward, and Milroy, who was too strong for General Ed. Johnson in
the Alleghanies, was the object. About twenty miles west of Staunton was
the home of a young lady friend, and, on learning that our road lay
within four miles of it, I determined at least to try to see her.
Sergeant Clem. Fishburne, who was related to the family, expected to go
with me, but at the last moment gave it up, so I went alone. To my very
great disappointment she was not at home, but her sisters entertained me
nicely with music, etc., and filled my haversack before I left. Just
before starting off in the afternoon I learned that cannonading had been
heard toward the front. When a mile or two on my way a passing
cavalryman, a stranger to me, kindly offered to carry my overcoat, which
he did, and left it with the battery.

The battery had marched about fifteen miles after I had left it, so I
had to retrace my four miles, then travel the fifteen, crossing two
mountains. I must have walked at least five miles an hour, as I reached
the company before sundown. They had gone into camp. My brother John,
and Frank Preston, seeing me approach, came out to meet me, and told me
how excessively uneasy they had been about me all day. A battle had been
fought and they had expected to be called on every moment, and, "Suppose
we _had_ gone in, and you off foraging!" How penitent I felt, and at the
same time how grateful for having two such anxious guardians! While
expressing this deep interest they each kept an eye on my full
haversack. "W