He, like others, felt that the hand upon the reins was not sure.

Instead of finding the enemy and assailing him with all their strength, they were waiting in doubt and alarm to fend off a stroke that would come from some unknown point out of the dark.
The army now lay in one of the finest parts of Virginia, a region of picturesque mountains, wide and fertile valleys, and of many clear creeks and rivers coming down from the peaks and ridges.

To one side lay a great forest, known as the Wilderness, destined, with the country near it, to become the greatest battlefield of the world.

Here, the terrible battles of the Second Manassas, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, the Wilderness, Spottsylvania, and others less sanguinary, but great struggles, nevertheless, were to be fought.
But these were yet in the future, and Dick, much as his eyes had been opened, did not yet dream how tremendous the epic combat was to be.

He only knew that to-day it was the middle of August, the valleys were very hot, but it was shady and cool on the hills and mountains.