When burdens were to be borne, none were more willing to bend beneath them than Thomas Anderson.

When the battle-field was to be searched for the wounded and dying, no hand was more tender in its ministrations of kindness than his.

As a general factotum in the army, he was ever ready and willing to serve anywhere and at any time, and to gather information from every possible source which could be of any service to the Union army.

As a Pagan might worship a distant star and wish to call it his own, so he loved Iola.
And he never thought he could do too much for the soldiers who had rescued her and were bringing deliverance to his race.
"What do you think of Miss Iola ?" Robert asked him one day, as they were talking together.
"I jis' think dat she's splendid.

Las' week I had to take some of our pore boys to de hospital, an' she war dere, lookin' sweet an' putty ez an angel, a nussin' dem pore boys, an' ez good to one ez de oder.