The words just read for the fifth time had sunk deep in his mind, and he was feeling the call of the west.
"My mother writes," he said to his comrades, "that the Confederate general, Buckner, whom I know, is gathering a large force around Bowling Green in the southern part of our state, and that fighting is sure to occur soon between that town and the Mississippi.

An officer named Grant has come down from Illinois, and he is said to be pushing the Union troops forward with a lot of vigor.

Sergeant, you are up on army affairs.

Do you know this man Grant ?" Sergeant Whitley shook his head.
"Never heard of him," he replied.

"Like as not he's one of the officers who resigned from the army after the Mexican War.