el had, the name of which I do not remember now, but
it was all military, and told how to conduct a battle successfully. I
studied that book until I got the thing down so fine that I could have
fought the battle of Gettysburg successfully, and I longed for a chance
to show what I knew about military science and strategy. It seemed
wonderful to me that one small red-head could contain so much knowledge
about military affairs, and I felt a pity for some officers I knew who
never had studied at all, and did not know anything except what they
had picked up. I fought battles in my mind, day and night. Some nights
I would lay awake till after midnight, planning campaigns, laying
out battle-fields, and marching men against the enemy, who fought
stubbornly, but I always came out victorious, and then I would go to
sleep and dream that the President and secretary of war had got on to
me, as it were, and had offered me high positions, and I would wake
up in the morning the same red-headed corporal, and cook my breakfast.
Sometimes I thought it my duty to inform the government, in some round
about way, what a bonanza the country had in me, if my talent could only
be utilized by placing me where I would have a chance to distinguish
myself, and bring victory to our arms. I reflected that Grant, and
Sherman, and Sheridan, and all of the great generals, were once
corporals, and by study they had risen.

There was not one of them that could dream out a battle, and a victory
any better that I could. All I wanted was a chance. Just give me men
enough, and turn me loose in the Southern Confederacy, with that head of
mine, and the result would be all an anxious nation could desire.

My first chance came sooner than I expected. The next day a part of
the regiment went out on a scout, to be gone a couple of days, and my
company was along. I was unusually absorbed in thought, and wondered if
I would be given a chance to do anything. It seemed reasonable that if
any corporal was sent out with a squad of men, to fight, it would be
an old corporal, while if there was any duty that was menial, the new
corporals would get it. The second day out we stopped at noon to let
our horses rest, when little scouting parties that had been sent out on
different roads during the forenoon, began to come in. Many of them had
picked up straggling rebels, and brought them to damp, and they were
carefully guarded, and the major, who was in command of our party, was