n pushing out
south and west. Aids came back with despatches.

"They say that Lee intends to fight us here," said General Meade, as he
read them.

"Very well," was the quiet reply of General Grant.

The two commanders retire a little from the crowd, and stand by the
road-side in earnest conversation. Grant is of medium stature, yet has a
well-developed _physique_, sandy whiskers and moustache, blue eyes,
earnest, thoughtful, and far-seeing, a cigar in his mouth, a knife in
one hand, and a stick in the other, which he is whittling to a point. He
whittles slowly towards him. His thoughts are not yet crystallized. His
words are few. Suddenly he commences upon the other end of the stick,
and whittles energetically from him. His mind is made up,--his plan
matured. He is less reticent,--talks freely. He is dressed in plain
blue; and were it not for the three stars upon his shoulder, few would
select him as the Lieutenant-General commanding all the armies of the
Union in the field.

Meade is tall, thin, a little stooping in the shoulders, quick,
comprehending the situation of affairs in an instant, energetic,--an
officer of excellent executive ability.

THE BATTLE OF THE WILDERNESS.

At the old Wilderness tavern the Stevensburg plank-road leading
southeast from Germanna Ford crosses the Orange and Fredericksburg
turnpike. Five miles beyond the tavern is Wilderness Church, at the
junction of the Stevensburg with the Orange and Fredericksburg
plank-road. Near by is the Brock road, which leads south to
Spottsylvania Court-House. West of the old tavern, four miles on the
turnpike, is Parker's store. In the early morning, General Ewell's
brigades appeared in line of battle at the store, on both sides of the
turnpike, while General A. P. Hill's corps was found to be pushing
rapidly eastward along the Orange plank-road, to gain the junction of
the roads at Old Church. Longstreet was following Hill.

The Second Corps, which had crossed at Ely's Ford, was already on the
move towards Spottsylvania. A recall was sent, also orders directing
Hancock to hold the junction of the roads. The Fifth Corps was thrown
out upon the turnpike towards Parker's store. The Sixth was moved up
from the Germanna road, west, into the woods, and placed in position to
cover all approaches to the ford. The Ninth arrived during the day, and
moved into the gap between the Fifth and Second. Divisions were moved to
the right, to the left, and to the cen