poral Sutton uneasy; dogs are the detective officers of Slavery's
police.

We had halted once or twice to close up the ranks, and had marched some
two miles, seeing and hearing nothing more. I had got all I could out of
our new guide, and was striding on, rapt in pleasing contemplation.
All had gone so smoothly that I had merely to fancy the rest as being
equally smooth. Already I fancied our little detachment bursting out
of the woods, in swift surprise, upon the Rebel quarters,--already
the opposing commander, after hastily firing a charge or two from his
revolver (of course above my head), had yielded at discretion, and was
gracefully tendering, in a stage attitude, his unavailing sword,--when
suddenly--

There was a trampling of feet among the advanced guard as they came
confusedly to a halt, and almost at the same instant a more ominous
sound, as of galloping horses in the path before us. The moonlight
outside the woods gave that dimness of atmosphere within which is more
bewildering than darkness, because the eyes cannot adapt themselves to
it so well. Yet I fancied, and others aver, that they saw the leader
of an approaching party mounted on a white horse and reining up in the
pathway; others, again, declare that he drew a pistol from the holster
and took aim; others heard the words, "Charge in upon them! Surround
them!" But all this was confused by the opening rifle-shots of our
advanced guard, and, as clear observation was impossible, I made the
men fix their bayonets and kneel in the cover on each side the pathway,
and I saw with delight the brave fellows, with Sergeant Mclntyre at
their head, settling down in the grass as coolly and warily as if wild
turkeys were the only game. Perhaps at the first shot a man fell at
my elbow. I felt it no more than if a tree had fallen,--I was so busy
watching my own men and the enemy, and planning what to do next. Some of
our soldiers, misunderstanding the order, "Fix bayonets," were actually
_charging_ with them, dashing off into the dim woods, with nothing to
charge at but the vanishing tail of an imaginary horse,--for we could
really see nothing. This zeal I noted with pleasure, and also with
anxiety, as our greatest danger was from confusion and scattering; and
for infantry to pursue cavalry would be a novel enterprise. Captain
Metcalf stood by me well in keeping the men steady, as did Assistant
Surgeon Minor, and Lieutenant, now Captain, Jackson. How the men in the
r