cap, vastly too
small, but by ripping up the back seam he was able to keep it on his
head and save himself from sunstroke. Mounting his horse, he set out
eastward at sunrise. When some miles beyond the Federal lines, he was
challenged by horsemen whom he found to be of the 13th Pennsylvania
cavalry on outpost duty and just in from a foraging trip. They
hesitated to release him even after examining his passes, but "that
from Butler fetched them." Even then, they did not like him to
proceed, assuring him that it was too dangerous for anybody to cross
such unprotected territory. He would be "a dead man inside of an
hour." However, they examined his horse's shoes, and gave him a strip
of raw pork, the first food he had tasted for many an hour. Finally
they bade him good-by, promising him that he was going "immediately to
the devil." Some miles further on, he saw near him two riders.
Mutually suspicious of each other, the distance was shortened between
the two parties until the character of each was made known. Then it
was discovered that all three were on the same errand, the solitary
horseman for Boston private enterprise, and the two cavalrymen in blue
for General Grant to the Government, were conveying news.

They rode pleasantly together for a few minutes, but when Carleton
noticed that their horses were fat and too well-fed to go very fast,
he bade his companions good-by. He put spurs to his horse. Though it
was the hottest day of the year, he reached Fredericksburg about the
middle of the forenoon, thirsty and hungry, having eaten only the
generous cavalryman's slice of raw pork on the way. He found there a
train loading with the wounded of several days' battle. He at once
began helping to carry the men on the cars. Volunteering as a nurse,
where nurses were most needed, though at first refused by the
surgeons, he got on board the train. From the Sanitary Commission
officers, he received the first "square meal" eaten for many days. At
Acquia Creek, he took the steamboat, and after helping to transfer the
wounded from cars to boat, he remained on board, sleeping on a railing
seat. Next morning he was in Washington, before the newspaper bureaus
were open.

He sent by wire a brief account of the Wilderness battles. At first
the operator was very reluctant to transmit the message, since he was
sure that none had been received by the Government, and he feared
reprimand or discharge for sending false reports. Indeed, th