peering into the deep fog, or
angry spatter from a squad of scouting cavalry disturbed the stillness
of the beautiful Autumn morning. The bright rays of the level sun
were bringing out the rich tints of the maples and dog woods on the
mountain-sides in all their gorgeous richness. Nature was smiling so
benignantly on every side that it needed the turmoil and rush in the
winding roads to remind one that somewhere near men were in bitter
contrast with her divine serenity. But the roads were crowded with
ammunition and ration wagons pushing out to the front, and with mounted
officers and Orderlies making their way as rapidly as possible back and
for ward with orders and messages.

Lieut. Bowersox left the road with his detachment and made his way
across the fields, over ditches, ravines and creeks, through the
thickets and the brush, and at last came out on top of Missionary Ridge
at the north side of Rossville Gap.

With eager eyes they scanned the landscape of billowy mountains and
hills to the east and south.

A fog obscured all the lowlands, but far out columns of thin smoke
rising lazily on the still air showed where 150,000 men were marshaling
for bloody conflict.

"That Major I spoke to," said Lieut. Bowersox, as Si and Shorty looked
anxiously in his face, "is on the corps staff, and he says the whole
infernal Southern Confederacy is out there for blood. They jumped us
yesterday like a pack of famished wolves. But Rosecrans had just got his
army together in time, though some of the divisions had to march till
their tongues were hanging out. All the boys were dead game, though,
and they stood the rebels off everywhere in great shape. He hasn't the
faintest idea where the 200th Ind. is. The divisions and brigades have
been jumped around from one end of the line to the other till he has but
little more idea where any regiment is than if it was in the moon. The
only way for us is to make our way as fast as we can to the front,
where they need every man, and trust to luck to find the regiment. We'll
probably not find it, but we'll find a place where they need us badly."

"Le's go ahead, then," said Si firmly, "as fast as we can. We'd much
rather be with the regiment, but we'll take whatever comes wherever it
comes, and do our level best."

"I know you will, Sergeant," answered the Lieutenant. "Take another look
over your men. See that they've all cartridges, and caution them to keep
cool, stay together, whatever h