discussing the coming momentous
battle, and the part their regiments would likely play in it, or sitting
writing what they felt might be their last letters home. All were
unutterably tired, and all earnestly thoughtful over the impending
conflict. None felt ordinarily jovial, communicative and sympathetic
with foot-sore stragglers trying to find their regiments. Even when they
were, the movements and changes during the day had been so bewildering
that their best-intentioned directions were more likely to be wrong than
right.

"The 200th Ind.," they would say; "yes, we saw the 200th Ind. about the
middle of the afternoon, right over there on that hillside, where you
see that old tree blazing up. They were acting as if they were going
into camp, and I expect that's their campfires you see there."

Si, Shorty and the rest would make their weary way to the point
indicated, about a half-mile distant, only to find that their regiment
had been sighted at another point a mile away in a different direction.

The morning of July 1, 1863, was almost ready to break when they at last
came up with their regiment, and flung themselves down on the ground in
absolute exhaustion. Worn out as they were, their soldierly ears could
not be deaf to the stirring reveille which quickly followed the early
daybreak of that Summer morning, and summoned the regiment for the
final, decisive move upon the rebel stronghold of Tullahoma.

Though every bone and muscle seemed to cry out against it, Si, Shorty
and their companions rose up promptly and joined the regiment.

Everybody seemed sobered by the nearness of the terrible battle.
Nobody laughed, nobody swore, nobody joked, nobody played the usual
light-hearted reveille tricks. The Orderly-Sergeant did not call the
roll with his usual glibness and rasp. He seemed to linger a little over
each name, as if thinking whether it would be answered to again, or
he be there to call it. The officers gave the commands quietly, even
gently. The men executed promptly, carefully, and silently, as one sees
things done at a funeral or in church. A hasty breakfast was eaten in
silence; the men fell into ranks again, and there was a low buzz as the
cartridge-boxes were carefully inspected and each man supplied with his
full quota of ammunition.

The Colonel mounted his horse, and gave the order, "Forward march," so
quietly that only the leading company heard it. It moved promptly, and
the others followed.

Th