My surprise was great to find there was not a single man in the trench.

Riding back to the boat I found the officer who had commanded the guard and learned that he had withdrawn his force when the main body fell back.

At first I ordered the guard to return, but finding that it would take some time to get the men together and march them back to their position, I countermanded the order.

Then fearing that the enemy we had seen crossing the river below might be coming upon us unawares, I rode out in the field to our front, still entirely alone, to observe whether the enemy was passing.

The field was grown up with corn so tall and thick as to cut off the view of even a person on horseback, except directly along the rows.