All business was resumed as usual.
I had finished my early rounds, fed my special cases, and was just
entering the distributing-room to send breakfast to the wards, when a
volley of musketry, quickly followed by another and another, startled
the morning air. Quickly an excited crowd collected and rushed to the
top of the hill commanding a view of the depot and railroad track. I
ran with the rest. "_The Yankees! the Yankees!_" was the cry. The
firing continued for a few moments, then ceased. When the smoke
cleared away, our own troops could be seen drawn up on the railroad
and on the depot platform. The hill on the opposite side seemed to
swarm with Yankees. Evidently they had expected to surprise the town,
but, finding themselves opposed by a force whose numbers they were
unable to estimate, they hastily retreated up the hill. By that time a
crowd of impetuous boys had armed themselves and were running down the
hill on our side to join the Confederates. Few men followed (of the
citizens), for those who were able had already joined the army. Those
who remained were fully occupied in attending to the women and
children.
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