gress could be made in military
movements while the country was inundated, as it appeared to be from
the hotel.

In the forenoon Captain Woodbine visited the companies, and looked over
the men; for he plainly depended upon the squadron for particular
service. He went to the jail and to the dry-house to see the riflemen
who were drilling there under the eye of Captain Ripley and several
sergeants from the companies.

Military movements on the eve of battle are not ordinarily impeded by
rain, for the soldiers march and fight in spite of the weather; but
when the flow of water is sufficient to inundate the country, the
situation sometimes compels a suspension of activity, owing to the
difficulty or impossibility of moving wagons and artillery. But at this
time General Thomas was awaiting the arrival of the regiments from
points farther north of his camp at Logan's Cross Roads, and nothing
could be done for this reason. But on the 18th the rain ceased; and on
the next day, which was Saturday, General Schoepf's brigade, a portion
of which had been sent forward before, arrived towards night, and was
placed in position.

That evening Captain Woodbine, who had been with the general in command
all day, called upon Major Lyon, and directed him to have his squadron,
with its volunteer riflemen, in column on the Millersville Road at
daylight in the morning of Sunday, for a reconnaissance in the
direction of the enemy's intrenched camp at Beech Grove. The major
reported that the rifle volunteers had been re-enforced to fifty-six
men by the efforts of Butters the jailer.

The commander of the squadron promptly issued his orders to his
officers to have his men ready to move at four o'clock Sunday morning.

CHAPTER XV

THE ATTEMPTED ESCAPE OF A WAGON-TRAIN

The details of the battle of Mill Springs, as it was generally called
when the accounts of it were published at the time, or, more properly,
Logan's Cross Roads, as General Thomas called it in his report to the
chief of staff of the Department of the Ohio, are too voluminous to be
given at length; and they have been published so many times in various
works that it is unnecessary to repeat them. Only such parts as relate
to the career of the "lieutenant at eighteen" will be introduced,
though incidentally some of the movements of the army will be included.

The general in his report says: "I reached Logan's Cross Roads, about
ten miles north of the intrenched camp o