Part 15 (2/2)

”But we can look for a brush there,” said Warner.

The night began to darken as a premonition of the coming dawn, a veil of vapor was drawn before the stars, trees blended together and the air became chill. Then the vapor was pierced in the east by a lance of light. The rift widened, and the pale light of the first dawn appeared over the hills. d.i.c.k, using his gla.s.ses, saw a flash which he knew was the Opequan. And with that silvery gleam of water came other flashes of red and rapid crackling reports. The Southern sharpshooters along the stream were already opening fire.

A great shout went up from the cavalry. All the forces restrained so long in these young men burst forth. The dawn was now deepening rapidly, its pallor turning to silver, and the river, for a long length, lay clear to view before them. Trumpets to right and left and in the center sounded the charge, the mellow notes coming back in many echoes.

The hors.e.m.e.n firing their own carbines and swinging aloft their sabers, galloped forward in a mighty rush. The beat of hundreds of hoofs made a steady sound, insistent and threatening. The yellow light of the sun, replacing the silver of the first dawn, gilded them with gold, glittering on the upraised blades and tense faces. The bullets of the Southern sharpshooters, in the bushes and trees along the Opequan, crashed among them, and horses and men went down, but the mighty sweep of the ma.s.s was not delayed for an instant.

d.i.c.k was flouris.h.i.+ng the cavalry saber that he now carried and was shouting with the rest. Nearer and nearer came the belt of clear water, and the fire of the Southern skirmishers increased in volume and accuracy. No great Southern force was there, but the men were full of courage and activity. Their rifle fire emptied many of the Northern saddles. A bullet went through the sleeve of d.i.c.k's tunic and grazed the skin, but he only felt a slight burning touch and then soon forgot it.

Then the whole column started together, as they swept into the Opequan, driving before them through sheer weight of ma.s.s the skirmishers and sharpshooters, who were hidden among the trees and thickets. The water itself proved but little obstacle. It was churned to foam by hundreds of trampling hoofs, and d.i.c.k felt it falling upon him like rain, but the drops were cool and refres.h.i.+ng.

Still at a gallop, they emerged from the river, wet and dripping, so much water had been dashed up by the beating hoofs, and charged straight on, driving the scattered Southern riflemen before them. d.i.c.k's exultation swelled, and so did that of Warner and Pennington. The young Nebraskan was compelled to give voice to his.

”Hurrah!” he shouted. ”We'll gallop the whole length of the valley!

Nothing can stop us!”

But Warner, naturally cautious, despite his rejoicings, would not go so far.

”Not the whole length of the valley, Frank!” he exclaimed. ”Only half of it!”

”All or nothing!” shouted Pennington, carried away by his enthusiasm.

”Hurrah! Hurrah!”

Before them now lay a small earthwork, from which field pieces began to send ugly gusts of fire, but so great was the sweep of the cavalry that they charged directly upon it. The defenders, too few to hold it, withdrew and retreated in haste, and in a few minutes the Northern cavalry were in possession.

”Didn't I tell you,” exclaimed Pennington, ”that we were going to gallop the whole length of the valley! We've taken a fort with hors.e.m.e.n!”

”Yes,” said Warner, ”but we'll stop here a while. Listen to the trumpets sounding the halt, and yonder you can see the main lines of the Johnnies.”

It was obvious that it was unwise to go farther until the whole army came up, as they heard other trumpets calling now, and they were not their own but those of their enemies. Early had not been caught napping. The dark lines of his infantry were advancing to retake the little fort. The cavalry was reduced in an instant from the offensive to the defensive, and dismounting and sending their horses to the rear, where they were held by every tenth man, they waited with carbines ready, the ma.s.ses of men in gray bearing down upon them. d.i.c.k wondered if the Invincibles were there before him. Second thought told him that it was unlikely, as the advancing troops were infantry, and he knew that the Invincibles were now mounted.

”Now, lads,” said Colonel Winchester, going down the ranks, ”ready with your rifles!”

The Southern infantry came on to the steady beating of a drum somewhere, but as they drew near the fort a sheet of bullets poured upon them, and drove them back, leaving the ground sprinkled with the fallen. Again and again they reformed and returned to the charge always to meet the same fate.

”Brave fellows!” exclaimed Warner, ”but they can't retake this fort from us!”

After the last repulse Colonel Winchester drew out his men, mounted them, and charging the infantry in flank sent them far down the road toward Winchester, where heavy columns came to their support. But the Winchester men had time to breathe, and also to exult, as they had suffered but little loss. While they remained at the captured fort, awaiting further orders, they watched the battle elsewhere, flaring in a long irregular line across the valley.

The rifle fire was heavy and the big guns of Early were sweeping the roads with sh.e.l.l and grapeshot. As well as d.i.c.k could see through his gla.s.ses, the only success yet achieved was that of the cavalry at the fort. Sheridan himself had not yet appeared, and the hopes of the three sank a little. They had seen so many triumphs nearly achieved and then lost that they could believe in nothing until it was done.

But the morning was yet very young. While the east had long been full of light, the golden glow was just enveloping the west. The rifles crashed incessantly and the heavy thunder of the cannon gave the steady sound a deeper note. The fire of the defending Southern force made a red stream across the hills and fields.

”It's too early to have a battle,” said Warner, looking at the sun, which was not yet far above the horizon.

”Too early for us or too early for the Johnnies?” said Pennington. ”I think, d.i.c.k, I see those rebel friends of yours. Turn your gla.s.ses to the right, and look at that regiment of horses by the edge of the grove. I see at the head of it two men with longish hair. Apparently they are elderly, and they must be Colonel Talbot and Lieutenant Colonel St. Hilaire.”

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