ow far behind he was leaving all
the others, and became eager only to see more of this fascinating sight.
Before he was aware of it, he was three or four miles from the Gap.

Here a point ran boldly down from the mountain into the valley, and
ended in a bare knob that overlooked the narrow creek bottom, along
which the beaten host was forging its way. Harry unhesitatingly
descended to this, and stood gazing at the swarming horde below. It was
a sight to rivet the attention. The narrow level space through which the
creek meandered between the two parallel ranges of heights was crowded
as far as he could see with an army which defeat had degraded to a
demoralized mob. All semblance of military organization had well-nigh
disappeared. Horsemen and footmen, infantry, cavalry and artillery,
officers and privates, ambulances creaking under their load of wounded
and dying, ponderous artillery forges, wagons loaded with food,
wagons loaded with ammunition, and wagons loaded with luxuries for the
delectation of the higher officers,--all huddled and crowded together,
and struggled forward with feverish haste over the logs, rocks, gullies
and the deep waters of the swollen stream, and up its slippery banks,
through the quicksands and quagmires which every passing foot and
wheel beat into a still more grievous obstacle for those that followed.
Hopelessly fagged horses fell for the last time under the merciless
blows of their frightened masters, and added their great bulks to the
impediments of the road.

The men were sullen and depressed--cast down by the wretchedness of
earth and sky, and embittered against their officers and each other
for the blood uselessly shed--oppressed with hunger and weariness, and
momentarily fearful that new misfortunes were about to descend upon
them. In brief, it was one of the saddest spectacles that human history
can present: that of a beaten and disorganized army in full retreat,
and an army so new to soldiership and discipline as to be able to make
nothing but the worst out of so great a calamity--it was a rout after a
repulse.

Nearly all of the passing thousands were too much engrossed in the
miseries of their toilsome progress to notice the blue-coated figure on
the bare knob above the road. But the rear of the fugitives was brought
up by a squad of men moving much more leisurely, and with some show
of order. They did not plunge into the mass of men and animals and
vehicles, and struggle with