form. This he afterward did.

"After the great victory, we joined in the chase after the
fleeing foe. Hood's army was whipped, demoralized, and
pretty badly scattered. A good many stragglers were picked
up. A story circulated to this effect: Some of our boys on
making a sharp turn in the road, came upon a forlorn
Southern soldier, who had lost his arms, thrown away his
accoutrements, and was sitting on a log by the roadside,
waiting to give himself up. He was saluted with, 'Well,
Johnny, how goes it?' 'Well, Yank, I'll tell ye; I confess
I'm horribly whipped, and badly demoralized, but blamed if
I'm _scattered_!'

"After we had passed along through Franklin, we had orders
to turn about and return to that city. I was riding at the
head of the column, followed by my own regiment. The men
were swinging along 'arms at will,' when they spied General
Thomas and staff approaching. Without orders they brought
their arms to 'right shoulder shift,' took the step, and
striking up their favorite tune of 'John Brown,' whistled it
with admirable effect while passing the General, greatly to
his amusement.

"We had a very memorable march from Franklin to
Murfreesboro, over miserable dirt roads. About December 19th
or 20th, we were on the march at an early hour, but the rain
was there before us, and stuck by us closer than a brother.
We were drenched through and through, and few had a dry
thread. We waded streams of water nearly waist deep; we
pulled through mud that seemed to have no bottom, and where
many a soldier left his shoes seeking for it. The open woods
pasture where we went into camp that night, was surrounded
with a high fence made of cedar rails. That fence was left
standing, and was not touched--until--well, I do believe
that the owner's bitterness at his loss was fully balanced
by the comfort and good cheer which those magnificent rail
fires afforded us that December night. They did seem
providentially provided for us.

"During the night the weather turned cold, and when we
resumed our march the ground was frozen and the roads were
simply dreadful, especially for those of our men who had
lost their shoes the day before and were now compelled to
walk barefoot, tracking their way with blood. Such
experiences take a