They laughed at his reason and followed him, Haskell remarking on the lessening of the fire. As they moved about the forty-foot spaces between the disabled batteries, the last cannon-ball rolled by them and bounded down the slope harmless. At once there was movement,—quick orders, officers busy, as fresh cannon replaced the wrecked pieces. Many of the unhurt cannoneers lay down utterly exhausted. The dead were drawn aside, while the wounded crawled away or were cared for by the stretcher-bearers and surgeons. Meanwhile the dense, hot, smoke-pall rose slowly and drifted away. The field-glasses were at once in use.
"It is half-past two," said General Hunt; "what next? Oh! our skirmishers are falling back."
"They are going to attack," said Haskell, "and can they mean our whole line—or where?"
The cannoneers were called to their pieces, and silently expectant the little group waited on the fateful hour, while the orderly quiet of discipline was to be seen on the Crest. The field-glasses of the officers were searching with intense interest the more and more visible vale.
"Pretty plain now, Gibbon," said Hunt.
"Yes, we are in for it."
"They are forming," said Penhallow. A line appeared from the low swell of ground in front of Lee's position—then a second and a third. Muskets and bayonets flashed in the sun.
"Can you make out their flags?" asked Gibbon, "or their numbers?"
"Not the flags." He waited intent, watchful. No one spoke—minute after minute went by. At last Penhallow answered. "A long line—a good half mile—quite twelve thousand—oh, more—more. Now they are advancing en échelon."
To left, to right, along our lines was heard the thud, thud, of the ramrods, and percussion-cap boxes were slid around the waist to be handy. Penhallow and others drew their pistols. The cannon were now fully replaced, the regimental flags unrolled, and on the front line, long motionless, the trefoil guidons of the two divisions of the Second Corps fluttered feebly. The long row of skirmishers firing fell back more and more rapidly, and came at last into our lines.