and out of the camp. He and
Shorty quickly broke their way to it, and ran in feverish haste to the
works. They found a puncheon laid to cross the ditch, ran over it, and
mounted the rifle-pit. There was not a man inside of the works. The last
of the garrison could be seen on the other side of Elk River, setting
fire to the bridge by which they had just crossed.

[Illustration: SI AND SHORTY WERE THE FIRST TO MOUNT THE PARAPET. 91]

Utterly exhausted by fatigue and the severe mental strain, Si and Shorty
could do nothing more than give a delighted yell, fire their guns at the
distant rebels, when they sank down in complete collapse.

Almost at the same time the same discovery had been made at other points
in the long line moving to the assault; the inside of the works were
quickly filled with a mob of rushing men, who seemed to lift the clouds
with their triumphant yells.

The campaign for Tullahoma was at an end. Bragg had declined battle,
and put the whole of his army out of reach of pursuit behind the swollen
waters of Elk River.

That night by its cheerful campfires the exultant Army of the Cumberland
sang from one end of its long line to the other, with thousands of
voices joining at once in the chorus, its song of praise to Gen.
Rosecrans, which went to the air of "A Little More Cider."

Cheer up, cheer up, the night is past,
The skies with light are glowing.
Our ships move proudly on, my boys,
And favoring gales are blowing.
Her flag is at the peak, my boys,
To meet the traitorous faction.
We'll hasten to our several posts,
And immediately prepare for action.

Chorus.

Old Rosey is our man.
Old Rosey is our man.
We'll show our deeds where'er he leads,
Old Rosey is our man.

CHAPTER VIII. THE GLORIOUS FOURTH INDEPENDENCE DAY FUN

ON THE BANKS OF ELK RIVER.

"THIS is the glorious Fourth of July," remarked Si, as Co. Q broke ranks
from reveille roll-call on the banks of Elk River, and he and Shorty
turned anxious attention to the problem of getting a satisfactory
breakfast out of the scanty materials at their command. "Up home they're
gittin' ready for a great time. Yesterday mother and the girls cooked
enough goodies to feed the whole company. Mother had Abe Lincoln split
up a lot o' fine, dry hickory. Then she het up the big brick oven out
by the Summer-kitchen, and she baked there a lot o' loaves o' her
splendiferous salt-rai