He, Warner and Pennington, for the lack of something else to do, lay on the dry grass, whispering and watching as well as they could what was going on in Sharpsburg.
Meanwhile Sharpsburg itself seemed a monument to peace.

It was deep in dust and the sun blazed on the roofs.

Staff officers rode up, and when they dismounted they lazily led their horses to the best shade that could be found.

Within a residence Lee sat in close conference with his lieutenants, Stonewall Jackson and Longstreet.

Now and then, they looked at the reports of brigade commanders and sometimes they studied the maps of Maryland and Virginia.