At the end of the line was a provision wagon, and on it rode Philemon Ward--Yankee in his greatest moment, scorning the heroic place in the van, and looking after the substantials.

In the feed lot, just as the reins were in his hands, Ward saw Elmer Hendricks' foot peeping from under a saddle.
Ward dragged the boy out, spanking him as he came over the end gate, and noted the sheepish smile on his face.

Ten days later, as Ward, marching in the infantry, was going up a hill through the timber at the battle of Wilson's Creek, that same boy rode by with the cavalry, and seeing Ward, waved a carbine and smiled as he charged the brow of the hill.

That night, going back under the stars, Ward stumbled over a body, and stooping, saw the smile still on the boy's face, and the carbine clutched in his hand.

But for the hole through the boyish brow, the eyes might still have been laughing..