Our advance spread wide into skirmish line, the black dots representing men flitting up the steep side of the hill, white spirals of smoke evidencing their musket fire.

Behind them was a grim mass of infantry, silent and ominous, swinging forward like a huge snake.

The men of the Ninth straightened up, their eyes glowing, but it was soon over with--the snake uncoiled, flinging a tail gleaming with steel over the ridge, and the troopers sank back wearily into their saddles.
As I turned again to glance over my shoulder I noticed a man riding at the right of the second file.

His face was new to me, and so peculiar was it that I continued to stare, unable to determine whether the fellow was white or colored.

He was in private's uniform, but carried no arms, and for head covering, instead of the hat worn by the Ninth, had an infantry cap perched jauntily on his curly black hair.