in front of us.

About this time, that impression was suddenly and entirely dispelled. A
distinct rattle of musketry broke sharply on our ears, and we knew, at
once, that we had found _something_, and, in fact, it was soon clear
that we had found Federal infantry, enough and to spare.

That sudden outbreak of musketry quickened every pulse, and every step
too, in our columns. Harder than ever we pushed ahead, and as we
advanced, the firing grew louder, and the volume heavier till it was a
long roar. The long-roll beat in our marching columns, and some of the
infantry brigades broke into the double quick to the front, and we could
see them heading off, right and left into the woods.

=Marse Robert's Way of Making One Equal to Three=

We had now come to the edge of that forest and thicket-covered district,
the "Wilderness of Spottsylvania."

Grant had crossed the Rapidan into this tangled chaparral, and it is
said he was very much surprised that Lee did not dispute the passage of
the river. But "Ole Marse Robert" had cut too many eye teeth to do
anything like that. He was far too deep a file, to stop his enemy from
getting himself into "a fix." He knew that when Grant's great army got
over there, they would be "entangled in the land, the wilderness would
shut them in."

In that wilderness, three men were not three times as many as one man.
No! no! not at all! Quite the reverse! Lee wouldn't lift a finger to
keep Grant from getting _into_ the wilderness, but quick as a flash he
was, to keep him from getting out. This, was why he had been marching
the legs off of us, rations or no rations. This, was why he couldn't
wait for Longstreet, but tore off with the men he had, to meet Grant and
fight him, before he could disentangle himself from The Wilderness. We
had got up in time; and into the chaparral our men plunged to get at the
enemy, and out of it was now roaring back over our swift columns the
musketry of the advance. As brigade after brigade dashed into line of
battle the roar swelled out grander, and more majestic, until it became
a mighty roll of hoarse thunder, which made the air quiver again, and
seemed to shake the very ground. The battle of The Wilderness was begun,
in dead earnest.

The crushing, pealing thunder kept up right along, almost unbroken, hour
after hour, all through the long noon, and longer evening, until just
before night, it slackened and died away. It was the most _solemn_ sound
I ever hear