The
occasional rolling thunder of a cannon deepened the somberness of the
scene.
All the officers of the regiment had lost their horses and they walked
now with the men. A full moon threw a silvery light over the marching
troops, who strode on in silence, the wounded suppressing their groans.
A full moon cast a silvery light over the pallid faces.
"Do you know where we are going?" Dick asked of the Vermonter.
"I heard that we're bound for a place called Culpeper Court House,
six or seven miles away. I suppose we'll get there in the morning,
if Stonewall Jackson doesn't insist on another interview with us."
"There's enough time in the day for fighting," said Pennington, "without
borrowing of the night. Hear that big gun over there on our right!
Why do they want to be firing cannon balls at such a time?"
They trudged gloomily on, following other regiments ghostly in the
moonlight, and followed by others as ghostly. But the sinister omens,
the flash of rifle firing and the far boom of a cannon, were always on
their flanks. The impression of Jackson's skill and power which Dick had
gained so quickly was deepening already.
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