Dick saw the pink
flashes along the edges of the woods and the wheat field, but his mind,
deadened for the time, took no further impressions. Skirmishers were
unpleasant people, anyway. Let them fight down there. It did not matter
what they might do to one another. A minute or two later he was ashamed
of such thoughts.
Colonel Winchester, who had been to see General Banks, returned presently
and told them that they would march again in half an hour.
"General Banks," he said with bitter irony, "is afraid that a powerful
force of the rebels will gain his rear and that we shall be surrounded.
He ought to know. He has had enough dealings with Jackson.
Outmaneuvered and outflanked again! Why can't we learn something?"
But he said this to the young officers only. He forced a cheerfulness of
tone when he spoke to the men, and they dragged themselves wearily to
their feet in order to begin the retreat. But though the muscles were
tired the spirit was not unwilling. All the omens were sinister,
pointing to the need of withdrawal. The vicious skirmishers were still
busy and a crackling fire came from many points in the woods.
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