His watch for the enemy
also enabled him to examine the country closely. He saw many hills and
hollows covered mostly with forests, with the red cedar and its dark
green boughs predominating. He also saw the flash of many waters, and,
where the roads cut through the soil, a deep red clay was exposed to
view. He knew that it would be difficult for the armies to get into line
for battle, because of the heavy, sticky nature of the ground, upon which
so much rain had fallen.
He made his way safely back to the camp of his corps, although he saw
hostile cavalry galloping in the valleys in the direction of Stone River,
and all through the afternoon he heard the crackle of rifle shots in the
same direction. The skirmishers were continually in touch and they were
busy.
The corps moved up a little, but Dick thought it likely that there would
be no battle the next day either. Rosecrans could not afford to attack
until his full force, with all its artillery, was up, and marching was
slow and exhausting in the sea of sticky mud.
Dick was right. The Northern army was practically united the next day,
but so great was the exhaustion of the troops that Rosecrans did not deem
it wise yet to attack his foe.
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