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fallen into Stone River and been nearly drowned。 After they had been
fished from； the water； in the process of resuscitation their sex was
disclosed； though up to this time it appeared to be known only to
each other。 The story was straight and the circumstance clear； so；
convinced of Conrad's continued sanity； I directed the provost…
marshal to bring in arrest to my headquarters the two disturbers of
Conrad's peace of mind； After some little search the East Tennessee
woman was found in camp； somewhat the worse for the experiences of
the day before； but awaiting her fate content idly smoking a cob…
pipe。 She was brought to me； and put in duress under charge of the
division surgeon until her companion could be secured。 To the doctor
she related that the year before she had 〃refugeed〃 from East
Tennessee； and on arriving in Louisville assumed men's apparel and
sought and obtained employment as a teamster in the quartermaster's
department。 Her features were very large； and so coarse and
masculine was her general appearance that she would readily have
passed as a man； and in her case the deception was no doubt easily
practiced。 Next day the 〃she dragoon〃 was caught； and proved to be a
rather prepossessing young woman； and though necessarily bronzed and
hardened by exposure； I doubt if； even with these marks of
campaigning； she could have deceived as readily as did her companion。
How the two got acquainted； I never learned； and though they had
joined the army independently of each other； yet an intimacy had
sprung up between them long before the mishaps of the foraging
expedition。 They both were forwarded to army headquarters； and； when
provided with clothing suited to their sex； sent back to Nashville；
and thence beyond our lines to Louisville。
On January 9； by an order from the War Department； the Army of the
Cumberland had been divided into three corps； designated the
Fourteenth； Twentieth； and Twenty…first。 This order did not alter
the composition of the former grand divisions； nor change the
commanders； but the new nomenclature was a decided improvement over
the clumsy designations Right Wing； Centre； and Left Wing； which were
well calculated to lead to confusion sometimes。 McCook's wing became
the Twentieth Corps； and my division continued of the same
organization； and held the same number as formerly…the Third
Division； Twentieth Corps。 My first brigade was now commanded by
Brigadier…General William H。 Lytle； the second by Colonel Bernard
Laiboldt； and the third by Colonel Luther P。 Bradley。
On the 4th of March I was directed to move in light marching order
toward Franklin and join General Gordon Granger； to take part in some
operations which he was projecting against General Earl Van Dorn；
then at Spring Hill。 Knowing that my line of march would carry me
through a region where forage was plentiful； I took along a large
train of empty wagons； which I determined to fill with corn and send
back to Murfreesboro'； believing that I could successfully cover the
train by Minty's brigade of cavalry； which had joined me for the
purpose of aiding in a reconnoissance toward Shelbyville。 In
marching the column I placed a regiment of infantry at its head； then
the wagon…train； then a brigade of infantrymasking the cavalry
behind this brigade。 The enemy； discovering that the train was with
us； and thinking he could capture it； came boldly out with his；
cavalry to attack。 The head of his column came up to the crossroads
at Versailles； but holding him there； I passed the train and infantry
brigade beyond toward Eagleville； and when my cavalry had been thus
unmasked； Minty； followed by the balance of my division； which vas
still behind； charged him with the sabre。 Success was immediate and
complete； and pursuit of the routed forces continued through
Unionville； until we fell upon and drove in the Confederate outposts
at Shelbyville。 Here the enemy was taken by surprise evidently；
which was most fortunate for us； otherwise the consequences might
have been disastrous。 Minty captured in the charge about fifty
prisoners and a few wagons and mules； and thus enabled me to load my
train with corn； and send it back to Murfreesboro' unmolested。 In
this little fight the sabre was freely used by both sides； and I do
not believe that during the whole war I again knew of so large a
percentage of wounds by that arm in proportion to the numbers
engaged。
That night I encamped at Eagleville； and next day reported to Granger
at Franklin； arriving in the midst of much excitement prevailing on
account of the loss of Coburn's brigade； which had been captured the
day before a little distance south of that point； while marching to
form a junction with a column that had been directed on Columbia from
Murfreesboro'。 Shortly after Coburn's capture General Granger had
come upon the scene； and the next day he advanced my division and
Minty's troops directly on Spring Hill； with a view to making some
reprisal； but Van Dorn had no intention of accommodating us； and
retired from Spring Hill； offering but little resistance。 He
continued to fall back； till finally he got behind Duck River； where
operations against him ceased； for； in consequence of the incessant
rains of the season； the streams had become almost impassable。
Later； I returned by way of Franklin to my old camp at Murfreesboro'；
passing over on this march the ground on which the Confederate
General Hood met with such disaster the following year in his attack
on Stanley's corps。
My command had all returned from the Franklin expedition to
Murfreesboro' and gone into camp on the Salem pike by the latter part
of March； from which time till June it took part in only the little
affairs of outposts occurring every now and then on my own front。 In
the meanwhile General Rosecrans had been materially reinforced by the
return of sick and wounded men； his army had become well disciplined；
and was tolerably supplied； and he was repeatedly pressed by the
authorities at Washington to undertake offensive operations。
During the spring and early summer Rosecrans resisted； with a great
deal of spirit and on various grounds； these frequent urgings； and
out of this grew up an acrimonious correspondence and strained
feeling between him and General Halleck。 Early in June； however；
stores had been accumulated and other preparations made for a move
forward； Resecrans seeming to have decided that he could safely risk
an advance； with the prospect of good results。 Before finally
deciding； he called upon most of his corps and division commanders
for their opinions on certain propositions which he presented； and
most of them still opposed the projected movement； I among the
number； reasoning that while General Grant was operating against
Vicksburg； it was better to hold Bragg in Middle Tennessee than to
push him so far back into Georgia that interior means of
communication would give the