wo officers and eighty men of
the 44th, and twenty-five men of the 14th.

"Just as Captain C. W. Baker, the senior officer of the
14th, was leaving the car, a piece of shell carried off the
top of his cap, thus adding immensely to its value--as a
souvenir. Some of the soldiers who escaped lost everything
except the clothes they had on, including knapsacks,
blankets and arms. In some cases they lay in the water
hiding for hours, until they could escape their pursuers.

"Soon after taking our position in line at Nashville, we
were closely besieged by Hood's army; and thus we lay facing
each other for two weeks. Hood had suffered so terribly by
his defeat under Schofield, at Franklin, that he was in no
mood to assault us in our works, and Thomas needed more time
to concentrate and reorganize his army, before he could
safely take the offensive. That fortnight interval was
memorable indeed. Hood's army was desperate. It had been
thwarted by Sherman, and thus far baffled by Thomas, and
Hood felt that he must strike a bold blow to compensate for
the dreadful loss of prestige occasioned by Sherman's march
to the sea. His men were scantily clothed and poorly fed; if
he could gain Nashville, our great depot of supplies, he
could furnish his troops with abundance of food, clothing
and war material; encourage the confederacy, terrify the
people of the North, regain a vast territory taken from the
South at such great cost to us, recruit his army from
Kentucky, and perhaps invade the North.

"Thomas well knew the gravity of the situation, and was
unwilling to hazard all by a premature battle. I think that
neither he nor any of his army ever doubted the issue of the
battle when it should come, whichever force should take the
initiative.

"The authorities at Washington grew restive, and the people
at the North nervous. Thomas was ordered to fight, Logan was
dispatched to relieve him if he did not, and Grant himself
started West to take command. Thomas was too good a soldier
to be forced to offer battle, until he was sure of victory.
He knew that time was his best ally, every day adding to his
strength and weakening his enemy. In the meantime the
weather became intensely cold, and a heavy sleet covered the
ground, rendering it almost