As at Woodstock, the story of our prowess spread. It went from one person to another until the soldiers got hold of it, and gathered around the hotel and more ringing cheers were given us. The next morning we took the train for Richmond--but we did not get there. At Lindseys Station, just before we reached Gordonsville, a man in the uniform of the Thirteenth got on. I called him to me. “Can you tell me where the Thirteenth is?” “Yes’m. We lef’ ’em ’bout the aige of Culpeper, yistiddy. Lor’m! we’ve had times!” “What was the matter?” “We been havin’ a heap o’ fightin’. The kurnel, he warn’t thar at Beverly Ford, an’ we didn’t have but one squadron, an’ the adjutant, he led the charge an’ he sholy come mighty nigh gittin’ killed. Lor’m! what’s the matter with ye?” “Nothing! Go on! Make haste, tell me--make haste. The adjutant----” “His horse got shot under him, an’ his courier ridin’ right ’longside o’ him got killed, an’ the adjutant warn’t hurt, not a mite. But, Lor’m! that was sholy a narrer _es_cape! An’ they say that the adjutant’ll git promoted.” Didn’t I say so? Didn’t I think of that when I got the uniform? “Thank you,” I said to the man. “You bring me the first news I have had of my husband for a long time.” “Good gracious! you ain’t our adjutant’s wife?” “Yes, I am. And I am glad to meet one of his soldiers. And you are the first to tell me good news.” “Lor’m, now, ain’t I proud o’ that! An’ you our adjutant’s wife. You don’t say! An’ I jes been a-tellin’ you how it was a’mos’ a mi-racle that you warn’t a widder ’oman! An’ you never let on! But I see you changed your face, marm, when I tole ’bout his pretty nigh gitting shot. Yes, marm; the adjutant charged beautiful! he jes rid right squar into ’em, an’ he made the Yankees git!” “How long do you think the Thirteenth will remain in Culpeper?” “That I couldn’t say for certain, marm. They mought be thar for a day or two, an’ they mought be thar longer. You can’t always tell much ’bout what the cavalry gwine to do. But we’s sho proud o’ the adjutant, marm. Ginral Lee an’ Ginral Stuart an’ Kunnel Chambliss all give him the praise.” It was after this battle that Dan was promoted to the rank of major, “for gallant conduct.” I bade the soldier a hurried good-by and went to the conductor. “My husband’s regiment is in Culpeper,” I said; “I have just heard it from one of his men, and I want you to put me off at Gordonsville. I have decided not to go on to Richmond, but to take the next train to Culpeper.” “The next train to Culpeper, ma’am--I think the next train for Culpeper passes Gordonsville at four in the afternoon. There’s no train before that, I know, and I am not sure that there’s one at four. There’s no tavern nor anything to put you down at--I’ll just have to set you out on the roadside.”