All their thoughts were of Donelson, across there on the other
river, and the men asked to be led against it. Inured to the hardships
of border life, there was little sickness among them, despite the winter
and the overflow of the flooded streams. They gathered the dead wood
that littered the forest, built numerous fires, and waited as patiently
as they could for the word to march.
The Pennsylvanians were still camped with the Kentucky regiment to which
Dick now belonged, and the fifth evening after the capture of Henry he
and his friends sat by one of the big fires.
"We'll advance either tomorrow or the next day," said Warner. "The
chances are at least ninety per cent in favor of my statement. What
do you say, sergeant?"
"I'd raise the ninety per cent to one hundred," replied Whitley.
"We are all ready an' as you've observed, gentlemen, General Grant is
a man who acts."
"The Johnnies evidently expect us," said Pennington. "Our scouts have
seen their cavalry in the woods watching us, but only in the last day or
two. It's strange that they didn't begin it earlier."
"They say that General Pillow, who commands them, isn't of much force,"
said Dick.
"Well, it looks like it," said Warner, "but from what we hear he'll have
quite an army at Donelson. General Grant will have his work cut out for
him. The Johnnies, besides having their fort, can go into battle with
just about as many men as we have, unless he waits for reinforcements,
which I am quite certain he isn't going to do.
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