An abundant breakfast was served to everybody, and then with warmth and courage the lads of the west and northwest marched forward with eagerness to an undertaking which they knew would be far greater than the capture of Fort Henry.
Dick and Pennington, as staff officers, were mounted, although the horses that had been furnished to them were not much more than ponies.
Warner rode with Colonel Newcomb and Major Hertford, who led the slender Pennsylvania detachment beside the Kentucky regiment.

Thus the army emerged from its camp and began the march toward the Cumberland.

It was now about fifteen thousand strong, but it expected reinforcements, and its fleet held the command of the rivers.
As they entered the leafless forest Dick saw ahead of them, perhaps a quarter of a mile away, a numerous band of horsemen wearing faded Confederate gray.

They were the cavalry of Forrest, but they were too few to stay the Union advances.

There was a scattered firing of rifles, but the heavy brigades of Grant moved steadily on, and pushed them out of the way.