ompanied by a detachment of General Polk's body-guard, which was
composed of young men of good position in New Orleans. Most of them
spoke in the French language, and nearly all had slaves in the field
with them, although they ranked only as private soldiers, and had to
perform the onerous duties of orderlies (or couriers, as they are
called). On our way back we heard heavy firing on our left, from the
direction in which General Withers was conducting his share of the
reconnaissance with two other infantry brigades.

After dark General Polk got a message from Cheetham, to say that the
enemy had after all advanced in heavy force about 6.15 P.M., and obliged
him to retire to Guy's Gap. We also heard that General Cleburne, who had
advanced from Wartrace, had had his horse shot under him. The object of
the reconnaissance seemed, therefore, to have been attained, for
apparently the enemy was still in strong force at Murfreesborough, and
manifested no intention of yielding it without a struggle.

I took leave of General Polk before I turned in. His kindness and
hospitality have exceeded anything I could have expected. I shall always
feel grateful to him on this account, and I shall never think of him
without admiration for his character as a sincere patriot, a gallant
soldier, and a perfect gentleman. His aides-de-camp, Colonels Richmond
and Yeatman, are also excellent types of the higher class of Southerner.
Highly educated, wealthy, and prosperous before the war, they have
abandoned all for their country. They, and all other Southern gentlemen
of the same rank, are proud of their descent from Englishmen. They glory
in speaking English as we do, and that their manners and feelings
resemble those of the upper classes in the old country. No
staff-officers could perform their duties with more zeal and efficiency
than these gentlemen, although they were not educated as soldiers.

* * * * *

_5th June_ (Friday).--I left Shelbyville at 6 A.M., after having been
shaken hands with affectionately by "Aaron," and arrived at Chattanooga
at 4 P.M. As I was thus far under the protection of Lieutenant
Donnelson, of General Polk's staff, I made this journey under more
agreeable auspices than the last time. The scenery was really quite
beautiful.

East Tennessee is said to contain many people who are more favourable to
the North than to the South, and its inhabitants are now being
conscripted by the Confe