 The mountain ahead was wreathed in smoke eddies of battle smoke in which the gun flashes shone like brief hot sparks . The opposing battle lines on the heights were marked by heavier layers of smoke , and columns of Federal troops were visible winding their way up the mountainside , each column ... looking like a ' monstrous , crawling , blue @-@ black snake ' ... McClellan posed against this spectacular backdrop , sitting motionless astride his warhorse Dan Webster with his arm extended , pointing Hooker 's passing troops toward the battle . The men cheered him until they were hoarse ... and some broke ranks to swarm around the martial figure and indulge in the ' most extravagant demonstrations ' . 
