Of course they do not
understand the position, and regard it as simply a retreat instead of
a mere shifting of ground to take up better position and fight again
to-morrow.
"Still this is a nice position, isn't it? You see there's room enough
along on the top of this slope for our whole army, and our guns will
sweep the dip between us and the opposite rise, and if they attack
they will have to experience the same sensations we did yesterday, of
being pounded and pounded without the satisfaction of being able to
return their fire.
"They must cross that dip to get at us--at least if they attack, which
I suppose they will, as they will be the strongest party--and our
artillery will be able to play upon them splendidly from this road.
Then, too, there are two or three farmhouses nearer our side than
theirs, and I suppose they will be held in force.
"That looks rather a nice old place among the trees there on our
right. It has a wall and inclosure, and they will have hard work to
turn us out of it. Yes, I call this a fine place for a battle; and we
shall have the advantage here of being able to see all over the field
and of knowing what is going on in other places, while yesterday one
couldn't see three yards before one. During the whole time one was
fighting, one felt that it might be of no use after all, for we might
be getting smashed up in some other part of the field.
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