But prudence forbade another charge upon a force double his numbers and now sheltered by a wood.

At this moment it was the boy beside him who was cooler than he.
"Captain Sherburne," he suggested mildly, "didn't General Jackson merely want to find out what was ahead of him?
When the army comes up it will sweep this force out of its way." "That's so," agreed Sherburne reluctantly, "but if we retire they'll claim a victory, and our men will be depressed by the suspicion of defeat." "But the Yankees are retiring already.

Look, you can see them withdrawing! They were on the same business that we were, and it's far more important for them to be sure that Jackson is advancing than it is for us to know that an enemy's in front." "You're right.

We knew already that he was there, and we were watching to get him.

It's foolish for us to stay here, squabbling with a lot of obstinate Yankees.