ly the men preferred the
branch of service to which they were accustomed. Each did not envy the
other.

The cavalryman rode all day; but at night he had to care for both
himself and horse. The infantryman had nothing to care for but himself.
He would make his coffee, and sleep all night, while the cavalryman must
scout, or picket front or flank. Sometimes the infantry must spend a
part of the night in throwing up breastworks, or making a night march;
but usually he considers himself more certain of rest and comfort than
his fellow-soldiers of the mounted force.

CHAPTER VI.

I now continued my search for information as to the whereabouts of the
regiment. I had almost reached the little flat by the Ny, at the point
where I had last seen my comrades the evening before, when, to my
astonishment, the roar of cannon broke forth again, and the shells came
hissing over my head and bursting all around me. There was not even a
stump or stone for shelter from the pelting storm of iron, and in the
woods just over the stream, the trees were being torn and rent asunder
as if by thunderbolts. This was more of a joke than I had bargained for.
Reflecting a moment, I concluded to take my chances among the trees. A
slender foot-log over the stream afforded means of crossing. When about
the middle of the log a shell howled close to my head and dashed through
a tree with a fearful crash. Nothing deterred, I sat down at the root of
a sturdy oak which would shelter me from fragments, at least, and waited
for something to "turn up." The rebels evidently thought that troops
were concealed in the woods, and were determined to make it hot for
them. They made it lively for me; but unless that afforded them some
satisfaction, they might have saved their ammunition.

Later I learned that the Reserves had moved to the left. Passing along
in that direction, I came to a hill on which a battery was planted. The
men were standing by their guns, ready for action. Close behind these,
on the face of the hill were the caissons, and back of these, men
holding the horses, the men themselves sheltered in holes which they had
dug in the hillside. Things looked decidedly breezy about that hill. My
curiosity to witness an artillery fight had been fully gratified some
time before; so I passed on without delay, and soon found the object of
my search some distance further to the left.

Late in the afternoon of the 17th an orderly galloped to headquarter