en. Dick surmised that Lee was leaving the
peninsula, and, crossing the Potomac in to Virginia, and that therefore
tactical victory would rest with the Northern side. The noises continued
all night long, but McClellan made no advance, nor did he do so the next
day, while the whole Confederate army was crossing the Potomac, until
nearly night.

But the Winchester regiment and several more of the same skeleton
character, pushing forward a little on the morning of that day, found
that the last Confederate soldier was gone from Sharpsburg. Colonel
Winchester and other officers were eager for the Army of the Potomac to
attack the Army of Northern Virginia, while it dragged itself across the
wide and dangerous ford.

But McClellan delayed again, and it was sunset when Dick saw the first
sign of action. A strong division with cannon crossed the river and
attacked the batteries which were covering the Southern rearguard. Four
guns and prisoners were taken, but when Lee heard of it he sent back
Jackson, who beat off all pursuit.

Dick and his comrades did not see this last fight, which was the dying
echo of Antietam. They felt that they had defeated the enemy's purpose,
but they did not rejoice over any victory. The sword of Antietam had
turned back Lee and Jackson for a time and perhaps had saved the Union,
but Dick was gloomy and depressed that so little had been won when they
seemed to hold so much in the hollow of their hands.

This feeling spread through the whole army, and the privates, even,
talked of it openly. Nobody could forget those precious two days lost
before the battle. Orders No. 191 had put all the cards in their hands,
but the commander had not played them.

"I feel that we've really failed," said Warner, as they sat beside a
camp fire. "The Southerners certainly fought like demons, but we ought
to have been there long before Jackson came, and we ought to have
whipped them, even after Jackson did come."

"But we didn't," said Pennington, "and so we've got the job to do all
over again. You know, George, we're bound to win."

"Of course, Frank; but while we're doing it the country is being ripped
to pieces. I'll never quit mourning over that lost chance at Antietam."

"At any rate we came off better than at the Second Manassas," said Dick.
"What's ahead of us now?"

"I don't know," replied Warner. "I saw Shepard yesterday, and he says
that the Southerners are recuperating in Virginia. We need restorati