e in their eyes.

"Just before the battle, Mother,
I am thinking most of thee."

Suddenly Hood closed his glasses with that nervous jerk which was a
habit with him, straightened himself in the saddle and, riding back
to General Stewart, said simply: "We will make the fight, General
Stewart."

Stewart pressed his General's hand, wheeled and formed his corps on
the right. Cheatham formed his on the left. A gun--and but few were
used by Hood in the fight for fear of killing the women and children
in the town--echoed from the ridge. It was the signal for the battle
to begin. The heavy columns moved down the side of the ridge, the
brigades marching in echelon.

At the sound of the gun, the federal army, some of whom were on duty,
but the larger number loitering around at rest, or engaged in
preparing their evening meal, sprang noiselessly to their places
behind the breastworks, while hurried whispers of command ran down
the line.

General Travis had been given a place of honor on General Hood's
staff. He insisted on going into the ranks, but his commander had
said: "Stay with me, I shall need you elsewhere." And so the old man
sat his horse silently watching the army forming and marching down.
But directly, as a Mississippi regiment passed by, he noticed at the
head of one of the companies an old man, almost as old as himself,
his clothes torn, and ragged from long marching; shoeless, his feet
tied up in sack-cloth and his old slouch hat aflop over his ears. But
he did not complain, he stood erect, and gamely led his men into
battle. As the company halted for a moment, General Travis rode up to
the old man whose thin clothes could not keep him from shivering in
the now chill air of late afternoon, for it was then past four
o'clock, saluted him and said:

"Captain, will you do me the favor to pull off this boot?"
Withdrawing his boot from the stirrup and thrusting it towards the
old man, the latter looked at him a moment in surprise but sheathed
his sword and complied with the request. "And now the other one?"
said Travis as he turned his horse around. This, too, was pulled off.

"Just put them on, Captain, if you please," said the rider. "I am
mounted and do not need them as much as you do?" and before the
gallant old Captain could refuse, he rode away for duty--in his
stocking feet!

And now the battle began in earnest.

The confederates came on in splendid form. On the extreme right,
Forrest's cavalr