sive. The numerous foe with his powerful artillery
was still before them. They could see his campfires shining through
the thickets, and their spies told them that, despite his great losses,
there was no sign of retreat in Grant's camp.

An appalling night settled down on the Wilderness. The North American
Continent never saw one more savage and terrible. Twenty thousand
wounded were scattered through the thickets and dense shades, and
spreading fires soon brought death to many whom the bullets had not
killed at once. The smoke, the mists and vapors gathered into one dense
cloud, that hung low and made everything clammy to the touch.

Lee stood under the boughs of an oak, and ate food that had been prepared
for him hastily. But, as Harry saw, the act was purely mechanical.
He was watching as well as he could what was going on in front, and he
was giving orders in turns to his aides. Harry's time had not yet come,
and he kept his eyes on his chief.

There was no exultation in the face of Lee. He had drawn Grant into the
Wilderness and then he had held him fast in a battle of uncommon size and
fierceness. But nothing was decided. He had studied the career of Grant,
and he knew that he had a foe of great qualities with whom to deal.
He would have to fight him again, and fight very soon. He heard too with
a sorrow, hard to conceal, the reports of his own losses. They were
heavy enough and the gaps now made could never be refilled. The Army of
Northern Virginia, which had been such a powerful instrument in his hands,
must fight with ever diminishing numbers.

Harry was sent to inquire into the condition of Longstreet, whom he found
weak physically and suffering much pain. But the veteran was upborne by
the success of the day and his belief in ultimate victory. He bade Harry
tell the commander-in-chief that his men were fit to fight again and
better than ever, at the first shoot of dawn.

Harry rode back in the night, the burning trees serving him for torches.
Nearly all the soldiers were busy. Some were gathering up the wounded
and others were building breastworks. His eyes were reddened by the
powder-smoke, and often the heavy black masses of vapor were impenetrable,
save where the forest burned. Now he came to a region where the dead and
wounded were so thick that he dismounted and led his horse, lest a hoof
be planted upon any one of them. But he noticed that here as in other
battles the wounded mad