nearly six o'clock before
The horses were busy cropping the young grass . `` God have mercy on them ! '' Ned exclaimed . It was nearly six o'clock before Jackson 's men had all slipped silently into position behind the dense woods on this little slope -- in two long grim battle lines , one behind the other , with columns in support , his horse artillery with their big guns shotted and ready . Ned saw a slight stir in the doomed camp of blue . The men were standing up now and looking curiously toward those dense woods . A startled flock of quail had swept over their heads flying straight down from the lull crest .