The battalion was hurried forward to join the command of General Scott, who for a short time after the commencement of hostilities was commander-in-chief of the Union forces. Colonel Rolphe’s detachment failed to come up with the Union army in time to take part in the battle of Bull Run, the first real struggle of the war. From that time forward, however, the boys participated in almost every battle of importance fought by their brigade.

Space will not permit us to follow the boys through the long campaign, and we must confine the story to the relation of a few incidents in which the young men participated.

Their battalion had been sent to Illinois to join General Grant’s command, and in the early part of 1862, when the general advanced into Kentucky, it formed a portion of the Union force. The boys’ first real baptism of heavy fire occurred at the capture of Fort Donelson.

Following closely on this was the battle of Pittsburg Landing, where the Union forces narrowly escaped a crushing defeat, due to the strategy of Johnston, the Confederate leader. Grant, however, by virtue of superior generalship, the fighting qualities of his troops, and the reinforcements he had received, converted the day into a victory, and the Confederates were driven back with great loss.

In this battle Colin and Willie, who had been fighting side by side, taking such shelter as they could find, became separated, and did not see each other until late in the day, when they were united under somewhat thrilling circumstances.

The battle had waged fiercely for hours. Towards evening, when the troops were pretty thoroughly exhausted, Colonel Rolphe rode along the line, rallying his men and encouraging them to press forward. The regimental standard was some distance in advance and to the right of the detachment, and Colonel Rolphe did not notice, as he wheeled his horse and made off to the left, that a small body of Confederates, taking shelter in a long, irregular growth of brush, were advancing stealthily, with the evident design of capturing the flag.

Colin, who was at the extreme right of his company which had deployed, noticed the Confederates, and realising their design, he shouted a warning to his captain, but his voice was drowned in the din and roar of musketry. The Confederates, seeing that the moment had come to strike, made a wild rush for the standard, bearing down the soldier who held it and scattering those about him like chaff.

The incident occurred so quickly that for a moment the Federals seemed nonplussed. Unless some one acted instantly and with courage, the flag was gone. With a loud cheer, Colin sprang forward, shouting to his comrades to follow, and rushing on the Confederate company, a sharp tussle ensued. Cohn went straight at the tall soldier, in gray who had seized the flag, and striking him down with the butt end of his rifle, he tore the ensign from his hands and was bearing it back, when he in turn was stricken to the earth by a stinging blow.

He had just sufficient consciousness left to hold on to the flag. Raising his eyes, he encountered the gaze of a soldier in gray about to strike, when the whizz of a bullet was heard, and his opponent rolled over helpless. A moment later Colin had recovered sufficiently to stagger to his feet. His companions were still engaged in a desperate encounter with the grays, and as the latter greatly outnumbered their antagonists, it would have gone hard with the Federals had not succour in the form of a small detachment been observed approaching. Before the detachment arrived, however, the grays made a determined effort to recapture the flag.

Two stalwarts rushed upon Colin. He got in a blow at the nearest of his enemies and laid him stunned upon the ground, but the other was overpowering him. His antagonist was fighting at close quarters, and in a moment it would have been all up with poor Colin; but suddenly there was a shout, a wild rush, and the Confederate was knocked sprawling to the ground.

The rescue party had just arrived in time. Colin was dazed for a minute or two; he was exhausted, had lost a good deal of blood, and had received some very hard knocks. When his head cleared, Willie was standing over him, trying to give him some brandy.

"Why, Willie, is that you?" Colin said.

"Yes, old fellow," answered Willie. "You have had a close call."

"Has the flag been saved?"

"It has, thanks to your bravery, and here it is," added Willie, exhibiting the ensign.

Colin smiled as they surveyed the flag, and he felt happy and at ease as his comrades carried him to the hospital tent, where, however, he was obliged to remain for a week or two.

The affair was reported to the commanding officer, and Colin was mentioned in the despatches forwarded to Washington. The war correspondents also made much of the incident, and the lad’s praises were sounded throughout the North.