oath for two years or the war.”  Under this last clause, the reorganization of the twelve-months volunteers was going forward at Corinth, when the Fifth Tennessee regiment of volunteers, composed of Warren county boys, Colonel J.B.  Hill commanding, determined they would not be forced to continue their service, and especially out of their own State.  Before this determination had entirely taken form the officers were apprised of the disaffection, and resolved, with true military decision, to forestall the threatened mutiny.  The regiment was marched out some distance from camp and drilled for an hour or two, and then allowed to stack arms and return to camp for dinner.  While in camp their arms were removed, and 30,000 men drawn up:  15,000 on each side of a hollow square, with a battery of ten field-pieces loaded with grape, gunners at their post, occupying a third side, while the fourth was open.  Into this space the regiment was marched, without arms, and requested, all of them who were free to do so, to take the oath.  After its administration to the regiment in a body, the colonel said if there were any members who had not voluntarily sworn, they could step out in front of the ranks.  Six men advanced, two of them brothers, and remonstrated that they had cheerfully volunteered for one year, had served faithfully, and endured every hardship without complaint and without furlough; had left their families without means of support, who must now be suffering; that if allowed to go home and rest and make some provision for wife and children, they would then return.  Colonel Hill, who was from the neighborhood of these men, knew the truth and felt the force of their arguments, and was trying by kindness to satisfy their minds, when General Beauregard rode up and asked—­

“Colonel Hill, do these men refuse to swear?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Unless they comply, have them shot to-morrow morning at ten o’clock,” said the general, and rode away.

Before ten o’clock they had all taken the oath; but one of the two brothers, in his rage, declared he would desert.  For this he would have been shot, had he not acknowledged himself wrong and professed penitence, though his resolution remained unshaken.

Some days after, this brother was placed upon picket duty, and, as the night came on, he attempted to pass out through the lines of cavalry pickets, when he was shot in the side, but not dangerously wounded as he then thought.  He crawled back into his own line, and then reported himself as shot by a Federal picket.  He was taken to camp, the ball extracted, and he sent to Atlanta, Georgia, to hospital.  From this place he escaped and reached Montgomery on his way back to Warren county, Tennessee.  His wound healed externally.

This was the deserting soldier I met on the cars as we left Montgomery for Chattanooga.  I put him in temporary possession of one of my horses; we united our destinies, and prepared for the future as well as we could.