"You take his advice, Dick, and roll yourself in your blanket," said Colonel Winchester, when they were on the way.
"I will, sir," said Dick, "although I know that great history is being made now." "I feel that way, too," said the colonel.

"Look, the sun is coming up, and you can see the Confederate outposts." The thin, clear air of September was brilliant with morning light, and through glasses the Confederate outposts and works around Fisher's Hill were quite clear and distinct.

Some of the Northern and Southern sentinels were already exchanging compliments with one another, and they heard the faint popping of rifles.

But Dick well knew from Sheridan's words that this early firing meant nothing.

It would grow much heavier bye and bye and it would yet be but the cover for something else.
He found Warner and Pennington already sound asleep, and wrapping himself in his blanket he lay down under a tree and fell asleep to the distant crackle of rifles and the occasional thud of great guns.