"Missis, de Yankees dun got Lucy!" "Where?" inquired the lady. "Right out dat ar way," said the girl, pointing in the direction. "_Well now, I declare!_ _Don't_ take that riding nag away from me, a poor lone widow, as I am; _don't_! Have a _little_ mercy on me; _do_!" "Yes!" said I, "you are a _mighty poor widow_! worth two hundred thousand dollars, and paying an overseer a thousand dollars a year; you are _mighty poor_! Soldier, fetch that mare back, and let the _poor widow_ keep the d--d p--t-g--tt-d thing! It a'n't worth riding to Bolivar!" As soon as breakfast was over, we again moved on. When within two miles of Van Buren, near where the Whitesville road takes off to the left, a little incident occurred to attract our attention. As I was riding along, in advance of the detachment, I saw a nigger coming up the road toward me, with his hat in his hand, and running as fast as he could, and appearing to be wonderfully excited about something. "What's up?" said I, as I met him. "Thar's a heap ob de secesh cavalry down by Massa's house, and dey are gwine to git you all!" Here, then, was something to do. I was well acquainted with the features of the country all about there, and I knew where they would most likely be posted, and which way they would retreat if we were too much for them. I was also well satisfied that the enemy consisted of Hall's guerrillas, from Saulsbury, and that the men that we had met on our way down belonged to them, and, instead of going to Mr. Dickens' to stay all night, had gone down to Saulsbury and got out the band to capture our train, not knowing that we had any infantry force along. I sent the Captain, with fifty men, to the right, to get to their flank in a piece of woods, where I was sure they would attempt to escape if we overpowered them. The Captain had a corn-field to cross, in reaching the woods, that would cover his men from view. I was to watch from the top of the fence, and see the Captain deploy his men in the woods, before ordering an attack in front. I watched until I knew that the Captain had had plenty of time to have reached the woods; but, for some reason, he had not made his appearance. I waited as long as I thought it would do, and then, leaving ten men to guard the prisoners, I ordered the cavalry to charge, supported by the balance of the infantry.