They had left the Rapidan in such haste that there was still a certain confusion of impressions.

The gigantic scale of everything took hold of him.

One hundred and fifty thousand men, or near it, were marching northward in two armies which could not be many miles apart.

The darkness and the feeling of tragedy soon to come oppressed him.
He listened eagerly for the sounds of pursuit, but the long hours passed and he heard nothing.

The rear guard did not talk.