that
continued fatigue and watching were bringing on a fever, turned her
course towards Washington. It was with difficulty that she was able to
reach home, where she was confined to her bed for some time. When she
recovered sufficiently to call on Colonel Rucker, and told him that with
five wagons she could have taken supplies sufficient for the immediate
wants of all the wounded in the battle, that officer shed tears, and
charged her to ask for enough next time.

It was about the 23d of October, when another great battle was expected,
that she next set out with a well appointed and heavily laden train of
six wagons and an ambulance, with seven teamsters, and thirty-eight
mules. The men were rough fellows, little used or disposed to be
commanded by a woman; and they mutinied when they had gone but a few
miles. A plain statement of the course she should pursue in case of
insubordination, induced them to proceed and confine themselves, for the
time being, to imprecations and grumbling. When she overtook the army,
it was crossing the Potomac, below Harper's Ferry. Her men refused to
cross. She offered them the alternative to go forward peaceably, or to
be dismissed and replaced by soldiers. They chose the former, and from
that day forward were all obedience, fidelity and usefulness. The
expected battle was not fought, but gave place to a race for Richmond.
The Army of the Potomac had the advantage in regard to distance,
keeping for a time along the base of the Blue Ridge, while the enemy
followed the course of the Shenandoah. There was naturally a skirmish at
every gap. The rebels were generally the first to gain possession of the
pass, from which they would attempt to surprise some part of the army
that was passing, and capture a portion of our supply trains. Thus every
day brought a battle or a skirmish, and its accession to the list of
sick and wounded; and for a period of about three weeks, until Warrenton
Junction was reached, the national army had no base of operations, nor
any reinforcements or supplies. The sick had to be carried all that time
over the rough roads in wagons or ambulances. Miss Barton with her wagon
train accompanied the Ninth Army Corps, as a general purveyor for the
sick. Her original supply of comforts was very considerable, and her men
contrived to add to it every day such fresh provisions as could be
gathered from the country. At each night's encampment, they lighted
their fires and prepared f