he land. The anchor of _my_ soul was my unbounded
confidence in President Davis; while he was at the helm I felt secure
of ultimate success, and bore present ills and disappointments
patiently, _never doubting_. Meantime, disquieting rumors were flying
about, railroad communication was cut off here and there, and with it
mail facilities. Of course the Confederate leaders were apprised of
the movements of the Federals, but at the hospital post we were
constantly on the _qui vive_. Large numbers of convalescents were
daily returning to the front, among them Lieutenant Cluverius, Mr.
Vaudry, and Captain Weller.

Rumors of the approach of the Federal forces under McCook had for days
disquieted our minds. The little town of Newnan and immediately
surrounding country was already full of refugees. Every day brought
more. Besides, the presence of hundreds of sick and wounded, in the
hospitals which had been established there, rendered the prospect of
an advance of the enemy by no means a pleasant one. But, as far as the
hospitals were concerned, the surgeons in charge must await orders
from headquarters. As long as none were received, we felt
comparatively safe.

One night, however, a regiment of Roddy's Confederate Cavalry quietly
rode in, taking possession of the railroad depot at the foot of the
hill, and otherwise mysteriously disposing of themselves in the same
neighborhood. The following morning opened bright and lovely, bringing
to the anxious watchers of the night before that sense of security
which always comes with the light. All business was resumed as usual.
I had finished my early rounds, fed my special cases, and was just
entering the distributing-room to send breakfast to the wards, when a
volley of musketry, quickly followed by another and another, startled
the morning air. Quickly an excited crowd collected and rushed to the
top of the hill commanding a view of the depot and railroad track. I
ran with the rest. "_The Yankees! the Yankees!_" was the cry. The
firing continued for a few moments, then ceased. When the smoke
cleared away, our own troops could be seen drawn up on the railroad
and on the depot platform. The hill on the opposite side seemed to
swarm with Yankees. Evidently they had expected to surprise the town,
but, finding themselves opposed by a force whose numbers they were
unable to estimate, they hastily retreated up the hill. By that time a
crowd of impetuous boys had armed themselves and were