Young, eager, brave, he never fell into the fault some of the other Union commanders had of overestimating the enemy.

He always had a cheery word for his young officers, and when he was not poring over the maps with his lieutenant of engineers, Meigs, he was inspecting his troops, and seeing that their equipment and discipline were carried to the highest pitch.

He was the very essence of activity and the army, although not yet moving, felt at all times the tonic of his presence.
Cavalry detachments were sent out on a wider circle.

Slade and his men had no opportunity to come so close again, but Shepard informed Dick that he was in the mountains hemming in the valley on the west, and that the statement of his having formed a junction with a band under Skelly from the Alleghanies was true.

He had seen the big man and the little man together and they had several hundred followers.
Shepard in these days showed an almost superhuman activity.