The music of battle, wild and terrible as it was to these untutored soldiers, charmed away the weariness of the body, and, to the quickstep of thundering cannon and crashing musketry, they pressed on with elastic tread to the horrors before them.
Tom felt that he had suddenly and miraculously been made over anew.

He could not explain the reason, but his legs had ceased to ache, his feet to be sore, and his musket and his knapsack were deprived of their superfluous weight.
"God be with me in this battle!" he exclaimed to himself a dozen times.
"God give me strength and courage!" Animated by his trust in Him who will always sustain those who confide in him, the soldier boy pressed on, determined not to disgrace the name he bore.

The terrible sounds became more and more distinct as the regiment advanced, and in about two hours after the battle had opened, the brigade arrived at the field of operations.

One regiment was immediately detached and sent off in one direction, while the other two were ordered to support a battery on a hill, from which it was belching forth a furious storm of shells upon the rebels.
The little colonel's sword gleamed in the air, as he gave the order to march on the double-quick to the position assigned to him.
"Now, Tom, steady, and think of nothing but God and your country," said old Hapgood, as the regiment commenced its rapid march.

"I know something about this business, and I can tell you we shall have hot work before we get through with it." "Where are the rebels?
I don't see any," asked Tom, who found that his ideas of the manner in which a battle is fought were very much at fault.
"You will see them very soon.