Soon after, the new brigadier received his letter of instructions from General Buell, which was in substance an order to unite in the face of the enemy two small companies of soldiers that were stationed far apart, and drive the rebel General Marshall out of Kentucky. Garfield set out for Catlettsburg without delay, and found his regiment had gone on to the little town of Louisa, some twenty-eight miles up the Big Sandy river. The whole surrounding country was in a great state of excitement. The Fourteenth Kentucky regiment had been stationed at Louisa, but hearing that Marshall with all his forces was closely following them, they had hastily retreated to the mouth of the Big Sandy. On the day before Christmas, Garfield joined his troops at Louisa, much to the relief of the terror-stricken citizens, who were just preparing to cross the river to find a place of safety. The young commander had two very important and difficult things to accomplish. First, he must communicate with Colonel Cranor; then he must unite his own forces to that officer's, in the face of a greatly superior enemy that could, and probably would, swoop down upon them as soon as they made the least movement. Going to Colonel Moore of the Fourteenth Kentucky, he said,-- "I want a man who is not afraid to take his life in his hand for the saving of his country." "There is John Jordan from the head of Blaine," was the reply, "I think we could rely upon him." Jordan was immediately sent for, and, notwithstanding his uncanny appearance, Garfield was at once prepossessed in his favor. He was tall and lank, with hollow cheeks and a curious squeaking voice. Born and bred among the Kentucky hills, he was rough and untutored, but his clear, gray eyes showed an unflinching courage and a downright honesty, that Garfield read with unerring intuition. "Are you willing to risk your life for the country?" he asked. "Oh, yes, sir!" was the ready response. "When I volunteered, I gave up my life for jest what it was wuth. If the Lord sees fit to make use of it now, I'm willin' He should take it." "Do you mean you have come into the war not expecting to get out of it?" "Yes, gin'ral, that's how I meant it." "And are you willing to die rather than give up this despatch?" "That's the gospel truth, gin'ral." "Well, then, I think I can trust it with you." So saying, Garfield rolled up into the form of a bullet the tissue-paper on which the despatch was written; he then coated it with warm lead and gave it to Jordan. He also gave him a carbine, a brace of revolvers, and the swiftest horse in the regiment. The dangerous journey was to be taken only by night, and in the day-time the messenger was to hide in the woods. It was just at midnight of the second day when Jordan reached Colonel Cranor's quarters at McCormick's Gap with his precious bullet.