General Finnegan had driven them into a bad place once, and should not do it again." "They had lost their captain and their best surgeon in the first skirmish, and if the Savannah people wanted the negroes driven away, they might come and do it themselves." Unfortunately, we knew that they could easily come from Savannah at any time, as there was railroad communication nearly all the way; and every time we heard the steam-whistle, the men were convinced of their arrival.

Thus we never could approach to any certainty as to their numbers, while they could observe, from the bluffs, every steamboat that ascended the river.
To render our weak force still more available, we barricaded the approaches to the chief streets by constructing barriers or felling trees.

It went to my heart to sacrifice, for this purpose, several of my beautiful lindens; but it was no time for aesthetics.

As the giants lay on the ground, still scenting the air with their abundant bloom, I used to rein up my horse and watch the children playing hide-and-seek amongst their branches, or some quiet cow grazing at the foliage.

Nothing impresses the mind in war like some occasional object or association that belongs apparently to peace alone.
Among all these solicitudes, it was a great thing that one particular anxiety vanished in a day.