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hurt him。
〃Well； first； I'll tell you that we belong to the old Fourteenth Ohio
Volunteers； which； if you know anything about the Army of the Cumberland；
you'll remember has just about as good a record as any that trains around
old Pap Thomasand he don't 'low no slouches of any kind near him；
eitheryou can bet 500 to a cent on that； and offer to give back the
cent if you win。 Ours is Jim Steedman's old regimentyou've all heard
of old Chickamauga Jim； who slashed his division of 7；000 fresh men into
the Rebel flank on the second day at Chickamauga； in a way that made
Longstreet wish he'd staid on the Rappahannock； and never tried to get up
any little sociable with the Westerners。 If I do say it myself； I
believe we've got as good a crowd of square； stand…up； trust'em…every…
minute…in…your…life boys； as ever thawed hard…tack and sowbelly。 We got
all the grunters and weak sisters fanned out the first year； and since
then we've been on a business basis； all the time。 We're in a mighty
good brigade； too。 Most of the regiments have been with us since we
formed the first brigade Pap Thomas ever commanded； and waded with him
through the mud of Kentucky； from Wild Cat to Mill Springs； where he gave
Zollicoffer just a little the awfulest thrashing that a Rebel General
ever got。 That； you know； was in January； 1862； and was the first
victory gained by the Western Army； and our people felt so rejoiced over
it that〃
〃Yes； yes； we've read all about that；〃 we broke in； 〃and we'd like to
hear it again； some other time； but tell us now about Atlanta。〃
〃All right。 Let's see： where was I？ O； yes； talking about our brigade。
It is the Third Brigade； of the Third Division； of the Fourteenth Corps；
and is made up of the Fourteenth Ohio； Thirty…eighth Ohio； Tenth
Kentucky； and Seventy…fourth Indiana。 Our old ColonelGeorge P。 Este
commands it。 We never liked him very well in camp； but I tell you he's a
whole team in a fight； and he'd do so well there that all would take to
him again； and he'd be real popular for a while。〃
〃Now； isn't that strange；〃 broke in Andrews； who was given to fits of
speculation of psychological phenomena： 〃None of us yearn to die； but the
surest way to gain the affection of the boys is to show zeal in leading
them into scrapes where the chances of getting shot are the best。
Courage in action； like charity； covers a multitude of sins。 I have
known it to make the most unpopular man in the battalion； the most
popular inside of half an hour。 Now； M。（addressing himself to me；） you
remember Lieutenant H。； of our battalion。 You know he was a very fancy
young fellow； wore as snipish' clothes as the tailor could make； had gold
lace on his jacket wherever the regulations would allow it； decorated his
shoulders with the stunningest pair of shoulder knots I ever saw； and so
on。 Well； he did not stay with us long after we went to the front。 He
went back on a detail for a court martial； and staid a good while。 When
he rejoined us； he was not in good odor； at all； and the boys weren't at
all careful in saying unpleasant things when he could hear them； A little
while after he came back we made that reconnaissance up on the Virginia
Road。 We stirred up the Johnnies with our skirmish line； and while the
firing was going on in front we sat on our horses in line； waiting for
the order to move forward and engage。 You know how solemn such moments
are。 I looked down the line and saw Lieutenant H。
at the right of Company； in command of it。 I had not seen him since he
came back； and I sung out：
〃'Hello； Lieutenant； how do you feel？'
〃The reply came back； promptly； and with boyish cheerfulness：
〃'Bully； by ； I'm going to lead seventy men of Company into action
today！'
〃How his boys did cheer him。 When the bugle sounded …forward； trot；' his
company sailed in as if they meant it； and swept the Johnnies off in
short meter。 You never heard anybody say anything against Lieutenant
after that。〃
〃You know how it was with Captain G。； of our regiment；〃 said one of the
Fourteenth to another。 〃He was promoted from Orderly Sergeant to a
Second Lieutenant； and assigned to Company D。 All the members of Company
D went to headquarters in a body； and protested against his being put in
their company； and he was not。 Well； he behaved so well at Chickamauga
that the boys saw that they had done him a great injustice； and all those
that still lived went again to headquarters； and asked to take all back
that they had said； and to have him put into the company。〃
〃Well； that was doing the manly thing； sure； but go on about Atlanta。〃
〃I was telling about our brigade；〃 resumed the narrator。 〃Of course； we
think our regiment's the best by long odds in the armyevery fellow
thinks that of his regimentbut next to it come the other regiments of
our brigade。 There's not a cent of discount on any of them。
〃Sherman had stretched out his right away to the south and west of
Atlanta。 About the middle of August our corps； commanded by Jefferson C。
Davis； was lying in works at Utoy Creek； a couple of miles from Atlanta。
We could see the tall steeples and the high buildings of the City quite
plainly。 Things had gone on dull and quiet like for about ten days。
This was longer by a good deal than we had been at rest since we left
Resaca in the Spring。 We knew that something was brewing； and that it
must come to a head soon。
〃I belong to Company C。 Our little messnow reduced to three by the
loss of two of our best soldiers and cooks； Disbrow and Sulier； killed
behind head…logs in front of Atlanta； by sharpshootershad one fellow
that we called 'Observer；' because he had such a faculty of picking up
news in his prowling around headquarters。 He brought us in so much of
this； and it was generally so reliable that we frequently made up his
absence from duty by taking his place。 He was never away from a fight；
though。 On the night of the 25th of August； 'Observer' came in with the
news that something was in the wind。 Sherman was getting awful restless；
and we had found out that this always meant lots of trouble to our
friends on the other side。
〃Sure enough； orders came to get ready to move； and the next night we all
moved to the right and rear； out of sight of the Johnnies。 Our well
built works were left in charge of Garrard's Cavalry； who concealed their
horses in the rear； and came up and took our places。 The whole army
except the Twentieth Corps moved quietly off； and did it so nicely that
we were gone some time before the enemy suspected it。 Then the Twentieth
Corps pulled out towards the North； and fell back to the Chattahoochie；
making quite a shove of retreat。 The Rebels snapped up the bait
greedily。 They thought the siege was being raised； and they poured over
their works to hurry the Twentieth boys off。 The Twentieth fellows let
them know that there was lots of sting in them yet； and the Johnnies were
not long in discovering that it would have been money in their pockets if
they had let that 'moon…and…star' （that's the Twentieth's badge； you
know） crowd alone。
〃But the Rebs thought the rest of us were gone for good and that Atlanta
was saved。 Naturally they felt mighty happy over it； and resolved to
have a big celebrationa ball； a meeting of jubilee； etc。 Extra trains
were run in； with girls and women from the surrounding country； and they
just had a high old time。
〃In the meantime we were going through so many different kinds of tactics
that it looked as if Sherman was really crazy this time； sure。 Finally
we made a grand left wheel； and then went forward a long way in line of
battle。 It puzzled us a good deal； but we knew that Sherman couldn't get
us into any scrape that Pap Thomas couldn't get us out of； and so it was
all right。
〃Along on the evening of the 31st our right wing seemed to have run
against a hornet's nest； and we could hear the musketry and cannon speak
out real spiteful； but nothing came down our way。 We had struck the
railroad leading south from Atlanta to Macon； and began tearing it up。
The jollity at Atlanta was stopped right in the middle by the appalling
news that the Yankees hadn't retreated worth a cent； but had broken out
in a new and much worse spot than ever。 Then there was no end of trouble
all around； and Hood started part of his army back after us。
〃Part of Hardee's and Pat Cleburne's command went into position in front
of us。 We left them alone till Stanley could come up on our left； and
swing around； so as to cut off their retreat； when we would bag every one
of them。 But Stanley was as slow as he always was； and did not come up
until it was too late； and the game was gone。
〃The sun was just going down on the evening of the 1st of September； when
we began to see we were in for it； sure。 The Fourteenth Corps wheeled
into position near the railroad； and the sound of musketry and artillery
became very loud and clear on our front and left。 We turned a little and
marched straight toward the racket； becoming more excited every minute。
We saw the Carlin's brigade of regulars； who were some distance ahead of
us； pile knapsacks； form in line； fix bayonets； an