About two o'clock
At noon we took our ease in a hollow in the midst of a thicket . While we were resting we heard far to our rear a distant sound that resembled the discharge of artillery . We learned afterward that the sound came from Mechanicsville , occupied this day by the advance of McClellan 's right . About two o'clock we again set out . We climbed a hill from which we could see over a considerable stretch of country . The field in front of us was large ; it would require a long detour to avoid the open space . Still , we were not pressed for time , and I was determined to be prudent .