at was the matter. A sergeant gave the colonel a dispatch,
which he tore open, read it, looked excited, and then he turned to 'me
and said, "Ride to every commanding officer of a company and say with
my compliments, that 'Boots and Saddles' will be sounded in ten minutes,
and every man must be in line, mounted, within five minutes after the
call is sounded, then come back here." Well, I was about as excited as
the colonel, and I rode to every captain's tent and gave the command.
Some of the captains, who were just sitting down to supper, asked, "What
you giving us," thinking it was some foolishness on my part. One captain
said if I came around with any more such orders he would run a
saber through me and turn it around a few times; another said to his
lieutenant, "That is the chaplains idiot, that the boys play jokes on;
some corporal has probably told him to carry that message."

I got all around the companies, and went back to the colonel, and told
him that I had delivered his invitation, but the most of the captains
sent regrets in one way and another, and one was going to jab me with a
saber. He called the bugler, and told him to blow "Boots and Saddles,"
and in five minutes to sound, "To Horse;" then he turned to me and said,
"You will be my orderly tonight, and you will have the liveliest ride
you ever experienced. Buckle up your saddle girth and lead my horse out
here." I told the colonel I should have to buckle up my own belt a few
holes, as I hadn't had any supper, when he told his servant to bring me
out what was left of his supper, which he did, one small hard tack. I
eat pretty hearty, and let my horse fill himself all he could on corn
stalks, and in a short time the bugle calls were echoing through the
woods, men were saddling up and mounting, and picking up camp
utensils in the dark, and swearing some at being ordered out in that
unceremonious manner when they had got all ready to have a night's
rest. There was not near as much swearing as I had supposed there would
be, but there was enough. The chaplain came rushing up to where I was
with his coat off, and asked me what was the matter, and the colonel
having gone to the major's tent, I answered him that we were going to
have the liveliest ride he ever experienced, and not to forget it, and
that probably before morning we would have the biggest fight of the
season.

"Come and help me catch my horse," said the chaplain, "I turned him
loose so he could roll