heroism in it; that is what every man should have done, including the
commander of the army. We could hear Thomas's guns going--those of us who
had ears for them--and all that was needful was to make a sufficiently
wide detour and then move toward the sound. I did so myself, and have
never felt that it ought to make me President. Moreover, on my way I met
General Negley, and my duties as topographical engineer having given me
some knowledge of the lay of the land offered to pilot him back to glory
or the grave. I am sorry to say my good offices were rejected a little
uncivilly, which I charitably attributed to the general's obvious absence
of mind. His mind, I think, was in Nashville, behind a breastwork.

Unable to find my brigade, I reported to General Thomas, who directed me
to remain with him. He had assumed command of all the forces still intact
and was pretty closely beset. The battle was fierce and continuous, the
enemy extending his lines farther and farther around our right, toward our
line of retreat. We could not meet the extension otherwise than by
"refusing" our right flank and letting him inclose us; which but for
gallant Gordon Granger he would inevitably have done.

This was the way of it. Looking across the fields in our rear (rather
longingly) I had the happy distinction of a discoverer. What I saw was the
shimmer of sunlight on metal: lines of troops were coming in behind us!
The distance was too great, the atmosphere too hazy to distinguish the
color of their uniform, even with a glass. Reporting my momentous "find" I
was directed by the general to go and see who they were. Galloping toward
them until near enough to see that they were of our kidney I hastened back
with the glad tidings and was sent again, to guide them to the general's
position.

It was General Granger with two strong brigades of the reserve, moving
soldier-like toward the sound of heavy firing. Meeting him and his staff I
directed him to Thomas, and unable to think of anything better to do
decided to go visiting. I knew I had a brother in that gang--an officer of
an Ohio battery. I soon found him near the head of a column, and as we
moved forward we had a comfortable chat amongst such of the enemy's
bullets as had inconsiderately been fired too high. The incident was a
trifle marred by one of them unhorsing another officer of the battery,
whom we propped against a tree and left. A few moments later Granger's
force was put in on t