uitous route of the march had required. They had
passed the night under a friendly roof some ten or twelve miles distant,
and had overtaken their companions at the critical moment at which they
have been introduced to view.

At Mildred's request she was conducted into the presence of Campbell,
who still retained his station on the knoll. A thoughtful and amiable
deference was manifested towards her by the assembled soldiers, who
received her with many kind and encouraging greetings. That air of
perturbation and timidity which, in spite of all efforts at
self-control, the novelty of her position and the consciousness of the
dreadful scene at hand had thrown over her demeanor, gradually began to
give way before the assurances and sympathy of her friends; and, at
length, she became sufficiently self-possessed to look around her and
mark the events that were in progress.

The important moment of battle drew nigh, and the several leaders
respectively took their leave of her, with an exhortation to be of good
cheer, and to remain at her present post under the charge of her trusty
companion, the miller, who was fully instructed by Campbell as to the
course he should take for the lady's safety, in whatever emergency might
arise.

Here we leave her for a moment, whilst we cast a glance at the
preparations for battle.

It was three o'clock before these arrangements were completed. I have
informed my reader that the mountain terminated immediately in front of
the outlet from the narrow dell in which Campbell's army had halted, its
breast protruding into the plain only some few hundred paces from the
head of the column, whilst the valley, that forked both right and left,
afforded an easy passage along the base on either side. Ferguson
occupied the very summit, and now frowned upon his foe from the midst of
a host confident in the strength of their position, and exasperated by
the pursuit which had driven them into this fastness.

Campbell resolved to assail this post by a spirited attack, at the same
moment, in front and on the two flanks. With this intent his army was
divided into three equal parts. The centre was reserved to himself and
Shelby; the right was assigned to Sevier and M'Dowell; the left to
Cleveland and Williams. These two latter parties were to repair to their
respective sides of the mountain, and the whole were to make the onset
by scaling the heights as nearly as possible at the same instant.

The men, befo