a portion of our old friends, the Eighth Texas.

Colonel Scott was one of the most active, efficient, and daring cavalry
officers in the Western Confederate army. He had performed very
successful and brilliant service, during the spring, in North Alabama,
and had lately served with Forrest in the latter's dashing operations in
Middle Tennessee. While we were all at Sparta together, Buell's army
began to commence to concentrate, and a large part of it under Nelson
came to McMinnville.

McMinnville is twenty-eight miles from Sparta, and a force of infantry,
preceded by two or three hundred cavalry, came one day to the bridge
over Calf Killer creek, on the McMinnville road, within five miles of
Sparta. Colonel Scott sent Major Harrison (afterward Brigadier General),
of the Eighth Texas, with two or three companies of the First Louisiana,
and as many of the Eighth Texas, to drive them back. Harrison fell on
them in his usual style, and they went back immediately. One or two of
them were killed, and a few prisoners were taken. I sent Lieutenant
Manly, of my regiment, about this time, to ascertain the disposition of
Buell's forces. He reported, in a few days, that there were three
thousand and six hundred men at Nashville, a great many of them
convalescents, four thousand at Columbia, three thousand at Pulaski, and
three thousand at Shelbyville. At McMinnville twelve thousand. At points
on the Tennessee river, in Alabama, about two thousand. Generals Bragg
and Smith were then preparing for the invasion of Kentucky. Bragg lay at
Chattanooga with about thirty thousand men. We confidently expected that
he would dash across the river, while Buell's army was thus scattered,
break through it and take Nashville, and pick up the fragments at his
leisure. He gave Buell a little time, and the latter concentrated with a
quickness that seemed magical, protected Nashville, and was ready for
the race into Kentucky. Buell's own friends have damned him pretty
thoroughly, but that one exhibition of energy and skill, satisfied his
enemies (that is, the Confederates) of his caliber, and we welcomed his
removal with gratification. Manly also reported, that rolling stock was
being collected, from all the roads, at Nashville, and that wagon trains
were being gotten together at convenient points. This indicated pretty
clearly that a concentration was contemplated for some purpose. After
remaining a few days at Sparta, Colonel Scott received orders