om Rogersville Calhoun made his way north. He ascertained that the
railroad which Mitchell was engaged in repairing was not strongly guarded,
and he believed that with five hundred men Morgan could break it almost
anywhere between Athens and Columbia.

Near Mount Pleasant he met a Confederate officer with a party of recruits
which he was taking south. He sent back by him a statement to Morgan of
all he had learned, and added: "Taking everything into consideration, I
believe that Pulaski will be the best place for you to strike. I have no
fears but that you can capture it, even with your small force."

Calhoun met with his first serious adventure shortly after he had crossed
the railroad, which he did a few miles south of Columbia. Thinking to make
better time, he took the main road leading to Shelbyville. He was
discovered by a squad of Federal cavalry, which immediately gave chase.
But he was mounted on a splendid horse, one that he had brought with him
from Kentucky. He easily distanced all his pursuers with the exception of
three or four, and he was gradually drawing away from all of them, except
a lieutenant in command of the squad, who seemed to be as well mounted as
himself.

[Illustration: HE EASILY DISTANCED ALL HIS PURSUERS.]

"Only one," muttered Calhoun, looking back, as a pistol-ball whistled by
his head; "I can settle him," and he reached for a revolver in his
holster. As he did so, his horse stepped into a hole and plunged heavily
forward, throwing Calhoun over his head. For a moment he lay bruised and
stunned, and then staggered to his feet, only to find the Federal officer
upon him.

"Surrender, you Rebel!" cried the officer, but quick as a flash, Calhoun
snatched a small revolver which he carried in his belt, and fired.

Instead of hitting the officer, the ball struck the horse fairly in the
head, and the animal fell dead. Leaving the officer struggling to
extricate himself from his fallen horse, Calhoun scrambled over a fence,
and scurried across a small field, beyond which was a wood. A scattering
volley was fired by the foremost of the pursuers, but it did no harm, and
Calhoun was soon across the field. Mounting the fence on the other side,
he stood on the top rail, and turning around, he uttered a shout of
defiance, then jumping down, disappeared in the wood.

The foremost of the Federals, a tall, lanky sergeant named Latham,
galloped to the side of his commander, who was still struggling to