Here, the terrible
battles of the Second Manassas, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, the
Wilderness, Spottsylvania, and others less sanguinary, but great
struggles, nevertheless, were to be fought.
But these were yet in the future, and Dick, much as his eyes had been
opened, did not yet dream how tremendous the epic combat was to be.
He only knew that to-day it was the middle of August, the valleys were
very hot, but it was shady and cool on the hills and mountains. He knew,
too, that he was young, and that pessimism and gloom could not abide long
with him.
He and Warner and Pennington had good horses, in place of those that they
had lost at Cedar Run, and often they rode to the front to see what might
be seen of the enemy, which at present was nothing. Their battlefield
at Cedar Run had been reoccupied by Northern troops and Pope was now
confirmed in his belief that his men had won a victory there. And this
victory was to be merely a prelude to another and far greater one.
As they rode here and there in search of the enemy, Dick came upon
familiar ground.
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