ry low, owing to the
dry season, there is one ford by which Lee can cross and go back to
Virginia. But he isn't going to cross without a battle, that's sure.
The rebels are flushed with victory, they think they have the greatest
leaders ever born and they believe, despite the disparity of numbers,
that they can beat us."

"And I believe they can't," said Dick.

"If it were not for that lost day we'd have 'em beaten now," said
Shepard, "and we'd be marching against Jackson."

The regiment in its swift advance now came nearer to the Antietam, the
narrow but deep creek between its high banks. One or two shots from the
far side warned them to come more slowly, and Colonel Winchester drew
his men up on a knoll, waiting for the rest of the army to advance.

Dick put his glasses to his eyes, and slowly swept a wide curve on the
peninsula of Antietam. Great armies drawn up for battle were a spectacle
that no boy could ever view calmly, and his heart beat so hard that it
caused him actual physical pain.

He saw through the powerful glasses the walls of the little village of
Sharpsburg, and to the north a roof which he believed was that of the
Dunkard Church, of which Shepard spoke. But his eyes came back from
the church and rested on the country around Sharpsburg. The Confederate
masses were there and he clearly saw the batteries posted along the
Antietam. Beyond the peninsula he caught glimpses of the broad Potomac.

There lay Lee before them again, and now was the time to destroy his
army. Jackson, even with his vanguard, could not arrive before night,
and the main force certainly could not come from Harper's Ferry before
the morrow. Here was a full half day for the Army of the Potomac, enough
in which to destroy a divided portion of the Army of Northern Virginia.

But Colonel Winchester raged again and again in vain. There was no
attack. Brigade after brigade in blue came up and sat down before the
Antietam. The cannon exchanged salutes across the little river, but
no harm was done, and the great masses of McClellan faced the whole
peninsula, within which lay Lee with half of his army. The Winchester
regiment was moved far to the north, where its officers hopefully
believed that the first attack would be made. Here they extended
beyond Lee's line, and it would be easy to cross the Antietam and hurl
themselves upon his flank.

Despite the delay, Dick and his comrades, thrilled at the great and
terrible panorama spread