Scouts kept each side well informed.
Dick, Warner and Pennington, before they lay down in their blankets, listened to the faint reports of rifles.

They could see little owing to the deep woods in which they lay, but the sound of the shots came clearly.
"A part of our army is to cross the fords of Stone River in the morning by daylight or before," said Warner, "and we're to surprise the enemy and rush him.

I wonder if we'll do it." "We will not," said Pennington with emphasis.

"We may beat the enemy, but we will not surprise him.

We never do.