en drawn into a region that he did not like,
where he could not use his superior numbers to advantage, and he must be
shuddering at the huge losses he had suffered already. He would seek
better ground. Lee too, was in no condition to take advantage of his
successful defense. The old days when he could send Jackson on a great
turning movement, to fall with all the crushing impact of a surprise upon
the Northern flank, were gone forever. Stuart, the brilliant cavalryman,
was there, but his men were not numerous enough, and, however brilliant,
he was not Jackson.

The sun rose higher. Midmorning came, and the two armies still lay
close. Harry grew stronger in his opinion that they would not fight
again that day, although he watched, like the others, for any sign of
movement in the Northern camp.

Noon came, and the same dead silence. The fires had burned themselves
out now and the dusk that had reigned over the Wilderness, before the
battle, recovered its ground, thickened still further by the vast
quantities of smoke still hanging low under a cloudy sky. But the aspect
of the Wilderness itself was more mournful than ever. Coals smoldered in
the burned areas, and now and then puffs of wind picked up the hot ashes
and sent them in the faces of the soldiers. Thickets and bushes had been
cut down by bullets and cannon balls, and lay heaped together in tangled
confusion. Back of the lines, the surgeons, with aching backs, toiled
over the wounded, as they had toiled through the night.

Harry saw nearly the whole Southern front. The members of Lee's staff
were busy that day, carrying orders to all his generals to rectify their
lines, and to be prepared, to the last detail, for another tremendous
assault. It was not until the afternoon that he was able to look up the
Invincibles again. The two colonels and the two lieutenants were doing
well, and the colonels were happy.

"We've already been notified," said Colonel Talbot, "that we're to retain
our organization as a regiment. We're to have about a hundred new men
now, the fragments of destroyed regiments. Of course, they won't be like
the veterans of the Invincibles, but a half-dozen battles like that of
yesterday should lick them into shape."

"I should think so," said Harry.

"Do you believe that Grant is retreating?" asked Lieutenant-Colonel
St. Hilaire.

"Our scouts don't say so."

"Then he is merely putting off the evil day. The sooner he withdraws