He
pointed out the position which they were now supposed to occupy, some
ten miles away.
"We ought to move out our lines to-morrow," he explained, "within, say,
three or four miles of theirs. The regiments will keep the same order
that they're in here at Havilla. We can't make the final arrangements
until we get there. We may stay there a day or two to entrench
ourselves, and then move on them at daybreak some day within a week."
"That's the plan, gentlemen," said the general. "What do you think of
it?" and he began to question all the general and field officers
present beginning with the youngest, and none of them had any
suggestion to offer.
"Then it's understood that we start for this line here to-morrow
morning at seven," said Burton.
They all assented.
"Now, boys, let's have some whisky," said the general, and the
conference resolved itself into a committee of the whole.
Early in the morning the troops began to move forward. Sam, who acted
as aide-de-camp, was sent out from headquarters once or twice to urge
the various colonels to make haste, but there seemed to be no special
orders as to the details of the movement. The regiments went as best
they could and selected their own roads, finally choosing the positions
that seemed most desirable to their commanders, who took care not to
leave too great an interval between regiments.
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