We firmly believe that the mule and dog tent, were two great levers in aiding to put down the rebellion, for it would have been impossible to have transported, in wagons, tentage enough for that great army. But Oh! how mad we got when they were first issued to us. We swore "we wouldn't have anything to do with 'em, they were pretty looking things to give a man to sleep under," and our anger at the Government was great. But time makes all things even, and we found that the genius that had invented the "dog-tent," was worthy all praise. Their erection and taking down was but the work of a few moments, and when each piece was tightly rolled up it formed a very small parcel, and handy to carry. So away we marched from Nashville, as finely an equipped army division as ever took the field. We were indeed a small world within ourselves, and each man carried with him his own board and lodging. We were on the march for Murfreesboro, and camped for the night at Lavergne, a small place fifteen miles south east of Nashville. Next morning we were again on the move for Murfreesboro, which place we reached that day, and went into camp. All around the place were visible signs of the terrible struggle which had taken place. Here were the rebel breast works and fortifications, erected by the negroes, under the eye of skillful engineers who had been educated at the expense of that government against which they were now directing their best efforts. Here were the ruts which had been cut by army wagons and artillery, showing the terrible condition in which the ground must have been. The skeletons of horses and mules were all around us; here lay a broken and dismantled gun carriage, yonder a wrecked ambulance, and look which way you would, desolation and ruin met the eye. Here, also, were the winter quarters which the rebel army had provided for themselves, thinking that we would go into winter quarters at Nashville, and perhaps that they might themselves be able to occupy that place. But they were doomed to disappointment, and neither place gave them rest for the soles of their feet. We only remained at Murfreesboro a few days when we were again ordered to move.

Chattanooga was now the objective point of the General Commanding, and thither we bent our steps as rapidly as possible. To reach that point from the position we now occupied, required a march of from sixty-five to seventy miles, over a country destitute of forage, poorly supplied with water, and narrow and difficult wagon roads. Before again commencing active operations however. General Rosecrans determined to repair the Nashville and Chattanooga rail road, to bring forward the needful subsistence and forage for the army, which it would be impossible to transport on wagons. At Stevenson, Alabama, these supplies having accumulated in sufficient quantities by the eighth of August, corps commanders were that day directed to supply their troops as soon as possible with rations and forage for a general movement. We began the march across the Cumberland Mountains on the morning of the 16th of August, 1863, and completed the movement by the evening of the 20th. We made a good part of the march after night, over the roughest roads imaginable; now winding along the side of the Tennessee River, which we could see far down below us, with the stars reflected in its bosom; now down a jump off of at least two feet, tumbling and stumbling over rocks and boulders, we wended our weary way. It was a hard march, and we were thankful when it was over. But the object of our General was accomplished, and the rebels were flanked out of Chattanooga, which had been very properly called the Gibraltar of the West. It was indeed a strongly fortified place naturally. It lays on the south bank of the Tennessee River, and was almost impregnable from the front. But the flank movement of Rosecrans was too much for the rebels, and on the eighth of September, they evacuated the place, and our army took peaceable possession. We were now under command of Major General Gordon Granger. Marching through Chattanooga, which did not look as if it had ever been much of a town, we moved out to a little place called Rossville and went into camp. Here it was that an incident occurred which for a time threatened to create a great disturbance. General Granger had issued strict orders, forbidding foraging by the men, but in spite of all orders to the contrary they would slip out into the adjacent country and procure what they could in the shape of eatables. On this afternoon to which we have reference, General Granger was sitting in the yard in front of his headquarters, when from up the road which passed in front of him, came a couple of boys loaded down with fresh meat.

"Halt there," said Granger. "What have you got there?"

"Meat," said the boys.

"March in here," came the command, and into the yard with their meat they went.

"Did you not know that my orders forbade foraging? Throw your meat down there, and take one of those rails, each one of you, and march around that tree," pointing to a tree that stood near by. They silently obeyed. Granger resumed his position, from which he had arisen, cursing and swearing. He had not been seated long, however, before another squad came marching by laden down with eatables.

"Halt!" again rang out. "March in here you men, and throw your stuff on that meat; pick up a rail apiece, and march around that tree."

As before the order was obeyed. Granger was furious, and striding off to his adjutant's tent, ordered him to send out some mounted men, and bring to his headquarters, all men found foraging. The order was given, and soon the horsemen were seen riding on their errand. They returned after a while with quite a squad of unfortunates who were loaded down with all conceivable manner of food. Marching them into the presence of Granger, they were ordered to do as the others had done, and such another pile of eatables that yard had never before seen. Chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, flour, hams, honey, grapes, potatoes, the carcases of calves, sheep and hogs, everything almost that could be thought of. On to the pile they were thrown, and each fellow, shouldering a rail, commenced his march around a tree. Granger was wild with rage; he stamped and swore "His orders had been willfully disobeyed, and, by G—d, he was going to make an example of these fellows." Calling for the sergeant of his headquarters guard, which, on that evening, happened to be from our regiment, and which, if we are not mistaken, was under command of sergeant Poage, of Co. "E.," he ordered him to go to the teamsters and get a "black-snake." But all this had not happened without the knowledge of the rest of the command, and soon quite a crowd had collected around to see the boys as they marched up under arrest, but as soon as they heard the order for the sergeant to go for the "black-snake," they hurried off to their quarters. Granger never knew how near he was death's door that evening, for the boys were about to mutiny, and the first lash that had been given, would have been the signal for the trouble to begin. The whole affair had been arranged almost in the twinkling of an eye, and as soon as the first blow had been struck, the signal would have been sounded, which would have swept Granger and his headquarters from the face of the earth. But the cooler reasoning of General Stedman and Colonel McCook at last prevailed with the maddened general, and in place of the whipping, the boys, with backs bared, were tied by the thumbs to wagon wheels, a prey to the voracious mosquito. What was ever done with that huge pile of provisions in the yard, we do not know, but are inclined to the opinion that the doughty Granger feasted on a goodly share of them. From that day on our dislike for Granger was intense; he had proved himself a tyrant, and a man of ungovernable passion, and we fairly hated him.