bivouacked, for the night. After feeding our teams, and preparing some
coffee, stretched ourselves on the ground to obtain a little sleep, being
pretty well tired out.

The next morning, as soon as it was light enough to see, and without
having anything to eat, we again moved forward towards Murfreesboro. We
had barely gone two miles when we were ordered to about face and march
back. What this all meant was more than we were able to surmise. The boys
remarked that we were going back to water, and which has since been a
by-word, whenever a countermarch has taken place.

Once more we crossed the river, and on arriving at the cross-roads before
mentioned, were ordered to camp, which we were glad to do, though it was
far from being a pleasant place. This was on the 24th of July.

We remained here until the afternoon of the 25th, without anything worthy
of note transpiring. At 6 o'clock P. M. we started for Murfreesboro,
arriving there at 8 o'clock the same evening. We halted in front of the
court-house, and after standing some two hours, were ordered to unhitch
horses, but not to take off harness, and lay by for the night. We spread
our blankets on the sidewalk, and, with an excellent brick sidewalk for a
bed, dreamed the hours away. Early in the morning, went to our old camping
ground on the hill. This was on the 27th of July.

NOTE.--The enemy which we expected to meet at the cross-roads near
Stone river, on the night of the 23d of July, proved to be General
Nelson's command, who had returned by this road. Colonel Barnes--who,
it will be recollected, was in command of our force--was unaware of
this movement. The slaves had mistaken General Nelson's force for a
body of "secesh."

CHAPTER VII.

MOVING--STILL MOVING.

On arriving at the old quarters, we found the negroes still at work on the
redoubt, which they had nearly completed. The Twenty-third Kentucky were
camped near us. We now supposed that we would be allowed at least a short
respite after our previous three weeks' hard marching; but in this we were
mistaken. And, as the old Scotch proverb runs--

"The best laid plans of men and mice
Oft gang aglee."

At noon of the 28th July, we received orders, (those eternal orders,) to
prepare for a march at 3 o'clock that afternoon. The battery wagon, tents,
and all the extra baggage, were to be left behind. At the appointed hour
all was in readiness, and in a short time we w