A courier.
He said a courier came and told him to move the wagons on as there was an artillery train coming up behind.
He told the courier the train was awaiting the orders of
Major Field, and would go forward as soon as the
Major said so. To this the courier replied
General Hill ordered the wagons forward, when the sergeant consentingly replied well if
General Hill told you to order them forward all right, and the train was put in motion.
The sergeant finding that I approved of the course was much relieved, and we trotted off towards the head of the wagon train.
Presently we came to a delightful shady grove just on the roadside, where a number of officers were resting their steeds and enjoying the refreshing breeze on a hot July day and a fearful dusty march.
One of them I saluted and said: ‘Good morning, General,’ and exchanged a few words with the party and continued on.
The sergeant said in a subdued tone: ‘Didn't you call that man General?’
I said: ‘Yes; that is
General Hill.’
To this he said he'd be ‘dad burned’ if that wasn't the courier that told him to move the train forward.
And so it was; but the
General knew the sergeant did not recognize him and gave the order accordingly.
