One can feel his spirit in the air all about us." Dick himself had noticed the military workmanship and that, too, of a high order, and he understood thoroughly that Sheridan had gathered a most formidable army.

It was not much short of thirty thousand men, veteran troops, and he had with him Wright, Emory, Crook, Merritt, Averill, Torbert, Wilson and Grover, all able generals.

Nor had Sheridan neglected to inform himself of the country over which he intended to march.

With his lieutenant of engineers, Meigs, a man of great talent, he had spent days and nights studying maps of the valley.

Now he knew all the creeks and brooks and roads and towns, and he understood the country as well as Early himself, who faced him with as large a Confederate force as he could gather.
Dick and his comrades expected immediate action, but it did not come.
They lingered for days, due, they supposed, to orders from Washington, but they did not bother themselves about it, as they liked their new camp and were making many new friends.