"I see it throughout the army, and so long as it prevails we cannot lose." Then he turned his glasses again toward the river and paid them no further attention.

Officers of greater age and much higher rank came near, but he ignored them also.

His whole soul seemed to be absorbed in the searching examination that he was making of the river and the opposite shore.

Harry and Dalton watched him a little while and then went back to the shelter of the ridge, where, sitting with their backs against the earth, they, too, took up the task of watching.
The earth was frozen hard now, but toward morning they saw the fog rising again.
"It will cover the river, the far shore, and what's left of the town," said Dalton, "but what do we care?
They'll be protected by it as they advance on the bridges, but they wouldn't dare move through it to attack us here on the heights." "Here's the dawn again," said Harry.

"I can see the ghost of the sun over there trying to break through, but as there's no wind now the fog's going to hang heavy and long." Breakfast was served once more to the waiting army on the heights, and then the youths in gray saw that the Union army, having let the night pass, was beginning to cross the river.