ahead. We sat down on a log beside the road and waited for them to
come up, as there were no woods to slip into just there. When they came
along I saluted the Captain and asked, "Whar youans going, Captain?" "Oh,
just going up the road a piece," he answered, and passed on without
questioning us.

One of the men at the rear of the column stopped long enough to ask us
where we'uns were from, and I told him we had just come from the valley
and had had some right smart fighting with Sheridan. I then hastily
detailed the fight as I had read it in the Columbia paper. He seemed
flattered with the fact that he had talked with two old soldiers who had
been with Earley (for they were home guards), and rode briskly forward to
overtake his comrades.

We soon came to Clayton, Georgia, and the court being in session, there
was quite a crowd gathered about the court house. We were debating whether
or not it would be safe to keep the road, which led directly past the
court house, when a mounted officer, who had evidently found some
applejack somewhere, came riding down to meet us, and when he learned from
us that we belonged to the 32d Georgia, and had just come from Earley's
army, wanted the latest news. We told him that we had had a right smart
fight with Sheridan, and taken his camp, with all of the stores and a
number of pieces of artillery, but that while the boys were plundering the
camp, Sheridan had surprised us and cut us all up. Having filled him as
chock full of news as he was of applejack, we told him we were going to
Hiawassee, and asked the most direct road.

He directed us across a common, that would take us to the road leading to
Hiawassee, that would not necessitate our passing the court house, and
rode back to retail the news we had given him.

After passing Clayton two or three miles, we stopped at a farm house to
get dinner. As we sat down at the table, the host introduced us to the
sheriff of Rabun county. We chatted pleasantly with him during the meal,
but felt greatly relieved when we were once more on the road.

The next day (Sunday) we struck the Hiawassee river, and fording it, we
pushed on, and just about sundown, came to a house that seemed to promise
good fare, and, representing ourselves to be Confederate soldiers on a
furlough, asked for supper and lodging.

The gentleman, who had the appearance of a wealthy planter, hesitated, but
when I told him we wished to pay for the accommodation, he said he