The rays of the sun were intensely bright.

The brown of autumn glowed like gold, and the red splashes here and there burned scarlet.

He saw pink dots appearing on a long line and he knew that the skirmishers were active and wary.
"There can be no doubt of the advance!" he said to Warner.

"A strong body of our cavalry disclosed their forward movement, and there are the skirmishers signaling that Bragg is near.

Wonderful fellows, those sharpshooters! They're the eyes of the army.