d 'is 'ead offen 'im. They'll all volunteer, I tell ye,
w'en Hi speak to 'em."

Si had been quietly talking to the rest of the gang while this
conversation was going on, and discovered a general willingness to
exchange mechanical pursuits for those of a more martial character, and
so when they left the train at Chattanooga, Lieut. Bowersox marched at
the head of 130 recruits, instead of the 103 with whom he had crossed
the Ohio River.

CHAPTER XV. KEYED UP FOR ACTION

MARCHING INTO THE BATTLE OF CHICKAMAUGA.

ALL of that eventful 19th of September, 1864, the men of Lieut.
Bowersox's detachment were keyed up with the knowledge that they were
heading straight for a desperate battle, and the main fear with Si,
Shorty and the great majority was that they would not reach the field in
time to take a hand in the affray. It seemed that never ran a locomotive
at such a snail's pace as their engine was compelled to do over the
wretched road bed and improvised bridges. The engineer, stimulated by
the excitement and the urgent messages at every station, was doing his
very best, but his engine was ditched once and narrowly escaped it
a hundred times. The only curb to their impatience was the absolute
knowledge that an attempt at faster running would result in not getting
there in time at all.

At every stopping place news from the front was eagerly sought for and
canvassed. It was at all times aggressively meager. All that could be
learned was that the whole rebel army was out on the Chickamauga some
miles from Chattanooga, and savagely attacking the Union army to drive
it away and recapture the town.

The news was generally very encouraging. Every attack of the rebels had
been repulsed, though our own loss had been heavy. But every man was
needed. The rebel lines extended far beyond those of the Union army in
each direction, and still they had enough for heavy assaulting columns.
Everybody in the neighborhood of Chattanooga had been ordered
up, leaving only the meagerest possible guards for the trains and
communications.

This increased the burning impatience of the boys to get where they
could be of service. But it was far into the night when they finally
skirted the frowning palisades of Lookout Mountain, and went into
bivouac on the banks of Chattanooga Creek. All of the squad wanted guns,
and Si and Shorty had been desperately anxious to get them for them.

At the stopping places were squads of guards, men more or