Lou nodded.

"He joined up with the company from Lincoln County called the 'Lincoln Legion'. The Major was seventeen, said he was nineteen. First with the infantry, he later served in the 2nd cavalry out in Texas with Colonel Lee, that's the General Robert E. Lee of the Army of Virginia. How 'bout that Lou?"

"Fayetteville - Lincoln County, huh - supposed to be nice country around there. I heard a stock dealer down at Ross's Landing say once that they raise some of the finest mules in middle Tennessee. Dealer said it was because of the good, pure limestone springs and rich bottomlands, good hay and corn. That makes for some mighty fine stock," Lou asserted. "They've got gentler coves and hollows than us, I've heard. Those ridge sides make for a fine breaking in of a green team. Wears 'em out."

"Lou, Hey, how is old Sarge Maddox? He as much a demon as they say?" Alex smiled.

"Well, he blows mighty hard, makes some noise, but there's more thunder than lightnin', looks like. He tells me what to do, I do it and he grunts. He hasn't corrected me yet or been mean to me, so it's OK with me."

===

Major Stevenson and Sergeant Maddox were standing alone up side of a glowing campfire. "How's the kid working out, Charlie?" the major asked the overweight, red faced, wheezing chief farrier who stood beside him blowing his morning coffee tin. "He's alright, Solon," Maddox answered. Both old army veterans and friends, the formalities of command were lax between them when they spoke out of earshot of others.

"Well, tell me more about that, Charlie," Major Stevenson prompted the taciturn squatty man who was smeared with soot and grease from headband to shoes.

"Well Solon, I'll say this about this Fields kid, Fields, right? He has had some good teaching. He's strong, too. Maybe a little slow for me but he don't miss nothing." "Charlie, don't you go and be so hard on him. His father and brother were killed by Crittenden's raiders up the Sequatchie two months back. Give him some room and set a good example, which for you will be a stretch. You hear me?"

"Yes, Solon, I do hear you," Charlie said as if he meant it. He might.




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