A delirious expectation, a rapturous sense of holding the post of danger, kept every sense in such a thrill of anticipation that the hours passed like minutes.  The dusty roads, the intolerable thirst, and the nauseous, tepid water, the blistered feet, the abraded hips, where the cartridge-box began to wear the flesh—­all these woes of the march were ignored in the one impulse to see the ground ahead, to note the first sight of the enemy.  It was not until four o’clock in the afternoon that the column was halted, and two companies, K and H, were marched out of the column and formed in platoons across the line of march, that the regiment learned with mortification that hitherto the route had been inside the Union lines!  They soon saw the difference in the tactics of the march.  The company was spread out in groups of four; these again were separated by a few yards, and in this order, sweeping like a drag-net, they advanced over the dry fields, through the clustering pines or into cultivated acres, and through great farm-yards.

Back of them the long column came, slowly winding over the sandy highway which curved through the undulating land.  Here and there the skirmishers—­for that was the office the two companies were now filling—­came upon signs of picket-posts; and once, as Jack hurried beyond his group to the thicket, near a wretched cabin, a horse and rider were visible tearing through the foliage of a winding lane.  He drew up his musket in prompt recognition of his duty, but he saw with mortification that the horse and rider continued unharmed.  Other shots from the skirmish-line followed, but Jack’s rebel was the only enemy seen, when, in the early dusk, an orderly from the main column brought the command to set pickets and bivouac for the night.  Jack would have written with better grounds for his solemnity if he had waited until this evening; but now there was no chance.

The companies were the extreme advance of the army; nothing between them and the enemy but detached pickets of cavalry, at long distances apart, to fly back with the report of the least signs made by the rebels.  These meager groups were forbidden fires, or any evidence of their presence that might guide hostile movement, and the infantry outposts felt that they were really the guardians of the sleeping thousands a mile or so behind them.  No one minded the cold water and hard bread which for the first time formed the company’s fare that night.  Like the cavalry, fire was forbidden them.  They formed little groups in the rear of the outer line of pickets, discussing with animation—­even levity—­the likelihood of an engagement the next day.  It was the general opinion that if Beauregard meant to fight he would have made a stand at some of the excellent points of vantage that had been encountered in the day’s march.  Jack smiled wisely over these amateur guesses, and quite abashed the rest when he said: