, the matter gradually passed
from their minds.

To make himself popular with the men, Tom resorted to a variety of
expedients, one of which was to assure them that in case of an
enterprise that promised danger, he would be with them. He was taken up
quite unexpectedly. An ammunition train on the morning of the second
battle of Bull Run, bound to the field, required a convoy. The regiment
was detailed. Tom's assertions had come to the ears of the regimental
officers, and without being consulted, he was provided with a horse, and
told to keep near the Adjutant. There was a drizzling rain all day long,
but through it came continually the booming of heavy ordnance.

"Colonel! how far do you suppose that firing is?" "And are they Rebel
cannon?" were frequent inquiries made by Tom during the day. About noon
he asserted that he could positively ride no further. But ride he must
and ride he did. The Regiment halted near Centreville, having passed
Porter's Corps on the way and convoyed the Train to the required point.
After a short halt the homeward route was taken and Tom placed in the
rear. By some accident, frequent when trains take up the road, he became
separated from the Regiment and lost among the teams. The Regiment moved
on, and as it was now growing dark, turned into a wood about half a mile
distant, for the night. Tom had just learned his route, when "ping!"
came a shell from a Rebel battery on a hill to the left, exploded among
some team horses, and created awful confusion. He suddenly forgot his
soreness, and putting spurs to his horse at a John Gilpin speed, rode
by, through and over, as he afterwards said, the teams. The shells flew
rapidly. Tom dodged as if every one was scorching his hair, at the same
time giving a vigorous kick to the rear with both heels. At his speed
he was soon by the teams; in fact did not stop until he was ten Virginia
miles from that scene of terror. But we will meet him again in the
morning.

The Regiment was soon shelled out of the wood, and compelled to continue
its march. Three miles further they encamped in a meadow, passed a wet
night without shelter, and early next morning were again upon the road.
Thousands of stragglers lined the way, living upon rations plundered
from broken-down baggage wagons--lounging lazily around fires that were
kept in good glow by rails from the fences near which they were built.
The preceding day these stragglers and skulkers were met in squads at
ev