Brigade after brigade in blue came up and sat down before the Antietam.

The cannon exchanged salutes across the little river, but no harm was done, and the great masses of McClellan faced the whole peninsula, within which lay Lee with half of his army.

The Winchester regiment was moved far to the north, where its officers hopefully believed that the first attack would be made.

Here they extended beyond Lee's line, and it would be easy to cross the Antietam and hurl themselves upon his flank.
Despite the delay, Dick and his comrades, thrilled at the great and terrible panorama spread before them.

The mid-September day had become as hot as those of August had been.