nnington, and the sergeant, and said
that he had the best comrades in the world. He told, too, of his gallant
and high-minded commander, Colonel Arthur Winchester.

He was sure that the letter would reach her promptly, as it passed all
the way through territory now controlled by the North. The next day
after sending it he heard with joy that Grant was restored to his
command, and two days later Colonel Winchester and his men were ordered
to join him at Pittsburg Landing, on the Tennessee River. They heard
also that Buell, with his whole division, was soon to march to the same
place, and they saw in it an omen of speedy and concentrated action.

"I imagine," said Warner, "that we'll soon go down in Mississippi
hunting Johnston. We must outnumber the Johnny Rebs at least two to one.
I'm not a general, though any one can see that I ought to be, and if we
were to follow Johnston's army and crush it the war would soon be ended
in the west."

"You've got a mighty big 'if'," said Dick. "If we march into Mississippi
we get pretty far from our base. We'll have to send a long distance
through hostile country for fresh supplies and fresh troops, while the
Southerners will be nearer to their own. Besides, it's not so certain
that we can destroy Johnston when we find him."

"Your talk sounds logical, and that being the case, I'll leave our
future movements to General Grant. Anyway, it's a good thing not to have
so much responsibility on your shoulders."

They came in a few days to the great camp on the Tennessee. Spring
was now breaking through the crust of winter. Touches of green were
appearing on the forests and in the fields. Now and then the wonderful
pungent odor of the wilderness came to them and life seemed to have
taken on new zest. They were but boys in years, and the terrible scenes
of Donelson could not linger with them long.

They found Colonel Newcomb and the little detachment of Pennsylvanians
with Grant, and Colonel Winchester, resuming command of his regiment,
camped by their side, delighted to be with old friends again. Colonel
Winchester had lost a portion of his regiment, but there were excuses.
It had happened in a country well known to the enemy and but little
known to him, and he had been attacked in overwhelming force by
the rough-riding Forrest, who was long to be a terror to the Union
divisions. But he had achieved the task on which he had been sent, and
he was thanked by his commander.

Dick, as he