r,' I will soon show him
of what mettle I'm made."

"Jeemes, give me your six-shooter," fairly shrieked the old woman;
"I'll soon show him. _I'll fight you at ten paces, sir!_"

The General laughed at her last remark; seeing which, she became
perfectly furious. Her sons and daughters begged her to desist from
such talk; but the more they cried "Don't," the less she "_don'ted_."

The family, by this time, had been made aware that it was a real
General at whom this insolence of tongue was being hurled, and the
tribulation of the son was great. The General, after thoroughly
warming himself, quietly walked out with his staff. The son followed
to the door, making all sorts of apologies for his mother--that she
had been sick, was peevish, and, at times, out of her head. I
suggested to him, that I didn't think she would _be so apt to go out
of her head if John Morgan had come along_, instead of a Union man.

Lucky for that house and its inmates that the 9th Ohio, or any of
General Steadman's command, were not apprised of the proceedings. The
General, in the kindness of his heart, and for the sake of the
soldiers quartered there, placed a guard around her house, to prevent
her being troubled in the least while the regiments were passing.

CHAPTER XVIII.

Going into Battle -- Letter to the Secesh -- General
Garfield, Major-General Rosecrans's Chief of Staff --
General Lew Wallace -- The Siege of Cincinnati -- Parson
Brownlow -- Colonel Charles Anderson.

GOING INTO BATTLE.

Many wonder if men wear their coats and knapsacks, and carry blankets,
when going into battle. That depends upon circumstances. Sometimes,
when marching, they find themselves in battle when they least expect
it. Upon such occasions, soldiers drop every thing that is likely to
incommode them, and trust to luck for the future.

Many wonder if regiments fire regularly, in volleys, or whether each
man loads and fires as fast as he can. That, also, depends upon
circumstances. Except when the enemy is near, the regiments fire only
at the command of their officers.

You hear a drop, drop, drop, as a few of the skirmishers fire,
followed by a rattle and a roll, which sounds like the falling of a
building, just as you may have heard the brick walls at a fire.

Sometimes, when a body of the enemy's cavalry are sweeping down upon a
regiment to cut it to pieces, the men form in a square, with the
officers and musicians in the cen