In truth his division commander thought his purpose useless, but yielded to the insistence of Winchester who was known to be an officer of great merit.

It seemed to the Union generals that they must defend the fords where the Southern army lay massed before them.
Dick learned that there was a little place called Sulphur Springs some miles ahead, and that the river there was spanned by a bridge which the Union cavalry had wrecked the day before.

He divined at once that Colonel Winchester had that ford in mind, and he was glad to be with him on the march to it.
They left behind them the sound of the cannonade which they learned afterward was being carried on by Longstreet, and followed the course of the stream as fast as they could over the hills and through the woods.
But with so many obstacles they made slow progress, and, in the close heat, the men soon grew breathless.

It was also late in the afternoon and Dick was quite sure that they would not reach Sulphur Springs before nightfall.
"I've felt exactly this same air on the great plains," said Pennington, as they stopped on the crest of a hill for the troops to rest a little.
"It's heavy and close as if it were being all crowded together.

It makes your lungs work twice as hard as usual, and it's also a sign." "Tell your sign, old weather sharp," said Warner.
"It's simple enough.