At St. Mary' 3 



Give us a shot anywhere within one, yes, 

 two, hundred yards, and we would answer 

 for the result. Had we not been qualify- 

 ing as sharpshooters in our regiments for 

 several years past ? Had we not already 

 demonstrated to our party our skill in aim- 

 ing and our accuracy in judging distance 

 by breaking innumerable bottles as they 

 floated down the streams on which we had 

 camped en route ? 



As to " losing our nerve " - oh, well, 

 that was simply absurd. We were not 

 troubled. 



The day after our arrival in camp was 

 Sunday, and a day of rest (we numbered 

 two clergymen among us) ; but two of the 

 party returning in the evening from a climb 

 over the nearest mountain, Flat Top, raised 

 our hopes to a high degree by telling us 

 of six sheep they had seen on their ride. 



Monday morning Hardeman and I 

 started for Flat Top. 



We were armed with the regulation 

 Springfield carbine, and each wore a field- 

 belt full of ammunition. A field-belt 

 holds forty rounds, and when full is heavy. 

 But it was well, we thought, to go on such 

 an expedition well equipped. We rea- 

 soned how badly we should feel, if, having 

 exhausted our supply, we ran on to more 

 269 



