They saw to their right the vast volume of fire and smoke, while the roaring of the cannon and rifles was like the continued sweep of a storm.
The youthful soldier may be nervous and excited, or he may be calm.

This was one of Dick's calm moments, and, while he watched and listened and tried to measure all that he saw and heard, he noted that the crash of the battle was moving slowly backward.

He knew then that the Southern advance was succeeding, succeeding so far at least.

He was quite sure now that the attack upon Thomas would be made soon and that it would come with the greatest violence.
He rose and rejoined Colonel Winchester again, and the two looked with awe at the gigantic combat, raging in a vast canopy of smoke, rent continuously by flashes of fire.

Dick observed that the colonel was depressed and he knew the reason.
"Our men are being driven back," he said.
"So they are," said the colonel, "and I fear that there is confusion among them, too." "But we'll hold fast here as we did yesterday!" "I hope so.