same movement that we had, and would next move on General Grant and capture his army before it could get to our forts in Chattanooga. Well, we did not stand upon the order of our going, but went out as rapidly as possible, every fellow taking care of himself. We went down many ridges and crossed the Chickamauga River on the Western and Atlantic Railroad bridge, and afterwards burned it. The next day we came to Chickamauga Station. There was a large pile of bacon there ready to be burned rather than to have it fall into the hands of the enemy. I fixed my bayonet and selected a small side of bacon through which I ran the bayonet, and was marching along thinking what a nice fry I would have for supper, when the enemy’s guns opened on us, and the skirmish known as Cat Creek took place. I had to unfix my bayonet in order to load my gun, and the bacon was lost. Samuel Seay was wounded in this skirmish, and he begged the boys not to leave him in the hands of the enemy. We told him we would not, unless they got us; so four of us shouldered him, and we would now and then call for relief. We marched till late in the night before reaching Ringgold; and although Sam Seay was a light man, he got heavier and heavier. At one place where we crossed the Chickamauga River I got very wet, and it was a cold night—November 26. I rolled up my trousers as high as I could, and four of us started across with Sam, and I got into a hole up to my waist. Finally we reached a clump of black-jacks near Ringgold, through which ran a country road well filled with autumn leaves, and here we made our bed. We were sleeping soundly at sunrise when General Walker came riding swiftly, saying: “Get up, men; the Yankees will soon be here, and they will cut your throats.” We moved out promptly, and as we had been the rear guard the day previous, we were now in the advance. We had just reached the narrow place where the stream is spanned by the railroad bridge, when the battle of Ringgold was fought; but we continued our retrograde movement until Dalton was reached, and, after camping there for some days and the weather getting cold, we built winter quarters south of Dalton. CHAPTER VI. CARRY ME BACK TO OLD VIRGINIA. While in winter quarters at Dalton, I received a letter from a relative saying that she would soon get married, and had woven on her loom a nice suit of jeans, and that I must come a week before in order that the tailor could make them. Therefore, I made application for a furlough, and it is not necessary to say here that I obtained a genuine one. My destination was New Canton, Va., on the James River, sixty-six miles above Richmond. I went via Columbia, S. C., and reached there without any money. As I had not drawn any clothing from the Confederate States Army for a year, I was entitled to so much money in lieu thereof. I think the paymaster paid me ninety-five dollars.