he road, and, joining the
mighty column, marched rapidly forward. The night was dark, and the
roads uneven, yet the men pressed forward with wonderful spirit. They
had heard during the day that Lee with his army, avoiding us on the
right, and moving with secrecy, had already eluded us, and was rapidly
making his way into Maryland, taking his route through the Shenandoah
Valley. This was enough to stimulate men whose greatest desire was to
meet their opponents in open fight, even on rebel ground. But now the
rebels were invading northern soil; Maryland, Pennsylvania, and even New
York, were threatened, and the men knew no limit to their enthusiasm.
"We can whip them on our own soil," said they. "There is no man who
cannot fight the better when it is for his own home." Such expressions
passed from lip to lip as the dark column pushed on during the whole
night. At times there would be a halt; not for rest, for the men,
expecting momentarily to move on, would stand in the ranks; then, on
again. Here and there were the camps of troops who had occupied the
extreme right of the army. Fine arbors and avenues had been erected from
the cedar boughs; these were set on fire, and the whole heavens were
aglow with the flames. Morning dawned, the march was becoming tedious.
The men were faint, and wanted rest and coffee; but there was no halt.

Faint and weary, yet with determination, the masses of men toiled along.
At length, as the morning advanced, the heat of the sun was almost
intolerable, and the dust suffocating. Not a leaf stirred on the trees.
Vegetation drooped under the scorching rays, and the clouds of dust was
so dense, that one could not see half the length of a regiment.

The men at length began to fall from exhaustion. One after another, with
faces burning with a glow of crimson, and panting for breath, would turn
to the surgeons of their regiments, and receive passes to the ambulances
and a draught from the surgeon's flask; but at length no more passes
could be given; the ambulances were crowded, and so many were falling on
every side, that it became useless to require or attempt to give passes,
or even for the surgeons to attempt to relieve the sufferers.

In every corner of the rail fences, and under every tree and bush,
groups of men, with faces glowing with redness, some with streams of
perspiration rolling down their cheeks, and others with their red faces
dry and feverish, strewed the wayside and lined the hedg