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A negro's account of the Wild Cat Retreat.--A gentleman whose slave accompanied a young confederate officer on the Wild Cat expedition, asked the darky on his return to Nashville, how long the army was on the march from its encampment to the battle-field.
“About four days,” was the reply.
“Well, how long were they in marching back?”
“About two days, massa.”
“Why, how is that, Joe?
Could the men travel any faster back, when they were broken down with four days march and a severe fight, than they travelled forward after a good rest in camp?”
“Oh! I'll tell you what made the difference, massa,” said old Joe; “it was the music.
They marched toward Wild Cat to the tune of Dixie.
When they marched back, the tune was: ‘Fire in the mountains — run, boys, run!’
”
Van Nostrand. New York, New York. 1862.
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