“One word more, gentlemen, and I have done,” said Wills, looking round. “As we shall set out as soon as it is light, you must all be on the alert an hour before daybreak, so as to prevent any chance of delay. This applies particularly to the foot and the advanced guard, who ought to start half an hour before the horse. We shall halt for an hour at Chorley, to breakfast.” In anticipation of the day they had before them, the commanders and officers retired early to rest. But not till he had satisfied himself by personal inspection that all the regiments under his command were in good marching order did General Wills seek his couch. Fully an hour before daybreak the reveille was sounded, and it was scarcely light when the vanguard, commanded by Lord Forrester, marched out of Wigan. After a short interval, the advanced guard was followed by Preston's regiment of foot--known as the Old Cameronians--which could boast some of the finest men in the service. Then followed, after another pause, the three brigades of cavalry; and both men and horses being in excellent condition, these regiments looked remarkably well. General Wills rode with Brigadier Honeywood at the head of the first brigade. After a long train of baggage waggons came the militia, numbering some six hundred horse and foot, commanded by Sir Henry Hoghton. Like the regular soldiers, the militia-men looked exceedingly well, and were loudly cheered by the inhabitants, most of whom--though the hour was so early--had assembled to witness the march forth of the troops. The spectacle was rendered infinitely more impressive by the circumstance that the men were about to fight a battle. The result, however, of the impending contest seemed scarcely doubtful, and the general opinion was that the rebellion would be effectually crushed. Confident in their leader, and animated by their officers, who promised them an easy victory over the insurgents, with the plunder of the rich town of Preston, the king's soldiers were in excellent spirits. Nor did anything occur in the march to disquiet them. The morning being fine and the roads in tolerably good order the infantry got on very well, and were very little fatigued on reaching Chorley. During the halt at Chorley, word was brought to General Wills, by a scout that the bridge over the Ribble was defended by Colonel John Farquharson of Invercauld, with a hundred picked men belonging to Colonel Mackintosh's battalion. General Forster had likewise come forth to reconnoitre, and had been seen with a party of horse about two miles south of the bridge, on the Wigan road. This intelligence did not seem to necessitate any alteration in General Wills's plans, but he ordered Lord Forrester and Captain Preston to halt at Walton-le-Dale till he himself should come up.