than a little heavier line of "rifle pits." There was
no physical difficulty in men walking right over that bank! I did it
often myself, saw many others do it, and twice, saw a line of Federal
troops walk over it, and then saw them walk _back_ over it, with the
greatest ease, at the rate of forty miles an hour; _i. e._, except those
whom we had persuaded to stay with us, and those whom the angels were
carrying to Abraham's bosom, at a still swifter rate. Works they could
go over like that couldn't have been much obstacle! They couldn't have
made better time on a dead level.

="Sticky" Mud and Yet More "Sticky" Men=

Such were our works _actually_! And still, they seemed to "loom largely"
to the people in front. I wonder what could have given them such an
exaggerated idea of the strength of those modest little works? I wonder
if it could have been the _men_ behind them? There were not a great many
of these men. It was a very thin gray line along there, back of a thin,
red line of clay. But these lines stuck together very hard, and were
very hard indeed to separate. The red clay was "sticky" and the men were
just as "sticky." And, as the two lines stuck together so closely, it
made the whole very strong indeed. Certainly, it seems they gave to
those who tried to force them apart, an impression of great strength!

Yes, it must have been the _men_. A story in point, comes to my aid
here. A handsome, well-dressed lady sweeps with a great air, past two
street boys. They are much struck. "My eye, Jim, but ain't that a
stunning dress?" Says Jim, with a superior air, "Oh get out, Bill, the
dress ain't no great shakes; it's the _woman_ in it that makes it so
'killing.'" That was the way with our Spottsylvania earthworks. The
works "wa'n't no great shakes." It was the _men_ in 'em, that made them
so "killing."

The men behind those works, such as they were, had perfect confidence in
their own ability to hold them. And this happy combination of "faith"
and "works" proved as strong against the world and the flesh, here, as
it does against the devil. It was perfectly effectual! It withstood all
assaults!

This day, May 10th, to whose dawn we have now come, broke dark, and
lowering, very typical of the heavy cloud of war that was impending, and
soon burst upon us, in a fierce tempest, that was going to thunder, and
howl, and beat upon us, all day, and for days to come. This day was to
be an eventful, and memorable day to us,--cro