Before the enlightenment derived from the sad experiences of our presentcivil contest, upon the incidents of protracted warfare, probably mostpersons conceived of war as a scene of constant activity—a series ofmarches, battles, and sieges, with but few intervals of repose. Historyrecords only the active portions of war, taking but little account ofthe long periods consumed in the preliminary processes of organizationand discipline, in the occupation of camps and cantonments, in thestationary watches of opposing armies, lying in the front of each other,both too weak for aggressive movements, but each strong enough toprevent such movements on the part of its opponent. Such matters, ifnoticed at all, are recorded in a few sentences, making no impression onthe reader. Novels of the 'Charles O'Malley' class have a