What will they
say about this at home?"

I was very dry for a drink, and as we were doing nothing just then,
I slipped out of ranks and ran down to the little hollow in our
rear, in search of water. Finding a little pool, I threw myself on
the ground and took a copious draught. As I rose to my feet, I
observed an officer about a rod above me also quenching his thirst,
holding his horse meanwhile by the bridle. As he rose I saw it was
our old adjutant. At no other time would I have dared accost him
unless in the line of duty, but the situation made me bold.
"Adjutant," I said, "What does this mean--our having to run this
way? Ain't we whipped?" He blew the water from his mustache, and
quickly answered in a careless way: "Oh, no; dat is all ride. We
yoost fall back to form on the reserve. Sheneral Buell vas now
crossing der river mit 50,000 men, and vill be here pooty quick;
and Sheneral Lew Vallace is coming from Crump's Landing mit 15,000
more. Ve vips 'em; ve vips 'em. Go to your gompany." Back I went on
the run, with a heart as light as a feather. As I took my place in
the ranks beside my chum, Jack Medford, I said to him: "Jack, I've
just had a talk with the old adjutant, down at the branch where
I've been to get a drink. He says Buell is crossing the river with
75,000 men and a whole world of cannon, and that some other general
is coming up from Crump's Landing with 25,000 more men. He says we
fell back here on purpose, and that we're going to whip the Secesh,
just sure. Ain't that just perfectly bully?" I had improved some on
the adjutant's figures, as the news was so glorious I thought a
little variance of 25,000 or 30,000 men would make no difference in
the end. But as the long hours wore on that day, and still Buell
and Wallace did not come, my faith in the adjutant's veracity
became considerably shaken.

It was at this point that my regiment was detached from Prentiss'
division and served with it no more that day. We were sent some
distance to the right to support a battery, the name of which I
never learned.[1] It was occupying the summit of a slope, and was
actively engaged when we reached it. We were put in position about
twenty rods in the rear of the battery, and ordered to lie flat on
the ground. The ground sloped gently down in our direction, so that
by hug