light skillet, which they were to carry alternately, as they were to
do with the tools. Each boy carried a blanket tightly rolled up, and
each had, at the start, eight pounds of corn meal and four pounds of
bacon, with a small sack of salt each, which could be carried in any
pocket. This was all. They had no arms and no ammunition.

Their destination and the purpose of their journey were wholly unknown
to anybody in the camp, except General Jackson and Tandy Walker. The
boys themselves were as ignorant as anybody on this subject. Sam had
enlisted them in the service, merely telling them that he was going on
an expedition which might prove difficult, dangerous and full of
hardship. He told them that he could not make them legal soldiers
before leaving, but that implicit obedience was absolutely necessary,
and that he wanted no boy to go with him who was not willing to trust
his judgment absolutely and obey orders as a soldier does, without
knowing why they are given or what they are meant to accomplish. To
put this matter on a proper basis, he drew up an enlistment paper as
follows:--

"We, whose names are signed below, volunteer to go with Samuel
Hardwicke and under his command, on the expedition which he is about
beginning. We have been duly warned of the dangers and hardships to be
encountered; we freely undertake to endure the hardships without
shrinking, and to face the dangers as soldiers should; and,
understanding the necessity of discipline and obedience, we promise,
each of us upon his honor, fully to recognize the authority of Samuel
Hardwicke as our Captain, appointed by General Jackson; we promise
upon honor, to obey his command, as implicity as if we were regularly
enlisted soldiers, and he a properly commissioned officer."