on one another's heels by way of keeping
together. Commands were passed along the line in whispers; more commonly
none were given. When the men had pressed so closely together that they
could advance no farther they stood stock-still, sheltering the locks of
their rifles with their ponchos. In this position many fell asleep. When
those in front suddenly stepped away those in the rear, roused by the
tramping, hastened after with such zeal that the line was soon choked
again. Evidently the head of the division was being piloted at a snail's
pace by some one who did not feel sure of his ground. Very often we struck
our feet against the dead; more frequently against those who still had
spirit enough to resent it with a moan. These were lifted carefully to one
side and abandoned. Some had sense enough to ask in their weak way for
water. Absurd! Their clothes were soaken, their hair dank; their white
faces, dimly discernible, were clammy and cold. Besides, none of us had
any water. There was plenty coming, though, for before midnight a
thunderstorm broke upon us with great violence. The rain, which had for
hours been a dull drizzle, fell with a copiousness that stifled us; we
moved in running water up to our ankles. Happily, we were in a forest of
great trees heavily "decorated" with Spanish moss, or with an enemy
standing to his guns the disclosures of the lightning might have been
inconvenient. As it was, the incessant blaze enabled us to consult our
watches and encouraged us by displaying our numbers; our black, sinuous
line, creeping like a giant serpent beneath the trees, was apparently
interminable. I am almost ashamed to say how sweet I found the
companionship of those coarse men.

So the long night wore away, and as the glimmer of morning crept in
through the forest we found ourselves in a more open country. But where?
Not a sign of battle was here. The trees were neither splintered nor
scarred, the underbrush was unmown, the ground had no footprints but our
own. It was as if we had broken into glades sacred to eternal silence. I
should not have been surprised to see sleek leopards come fawning about
our feet, and milk-white deer confront us with human eyes.

A few inaudible commands from an invisible leader had placed us in order
of battle. But where was the enemy? Where, too, were the riddled regiments
that we had come to save? Had our other divisions arrived during the night
and passed the river to assist us? or w