I was starting off with the Colonel here, when they dashed away." "Come," he said, after making some temporary provisions for the comfort of his wounded.

"You must get away from here as quickly as possible.

I fear the army is badly defeated, and it may be a rout soon.

You must get away before the rush begins, for then it will be terrible." He took her over the pike, and across it to where some wagons were standing.

As he was about to put Rachel in one of these their attention was arrested by an officer, apparently acting as Provost Marshal, dragging from behind a huge rock a Lieutenant who was skulking there.
They were too far away to hear what was said, but not so far that they could not recognize the skulker as Lieutenant Jacob Alspaugh.