Now let every nerve and muscle do its utmost." She rode along the fence until she came to an opening which led into what appeared in the darkness to be another cotton field, but proved to be a worn-out one, long ago abandoned to the rank-growing briars, which clung to and tore her skirts, and seamed the mare's delicate skin with bleeding furrows.

The flinching brute pressed onward, in response to her mistress's encouragement, but the progress was grievously slow.
Presently Rachel began to see moving figures a little way ahead of her, and hear voices in command.

She realized that she was approaching the forces moving to the attack on the Union right.

There was something grotesque, weird, even frightful in the sounds and the aspect of the moving masses and figures, but she at last made out that they were batteries, regiments and mounted men.

She decided that her best course was to mingle with and move along with them, until she could get a chance to ride away in advance.