will be a Confederate fort."

The note of the bugle seemed to decide the Southern officers. The men
were ordered to see to their arms and march. The officers dismounted as
the way would be rough and left their horses behind. The troops formed
into several columns and four light guns went down the slope with them.
Scouts who had been out in the night came back and reported that the
fort, consisting wholly of earthworks, had a garrison of a thousand men
with eight guns. They were New York and New England troops and they did
not suspect the presence of an enemy. They were just lighting their
breakfast fires.

The Southern columns moved forward in quiet, still hidden by the forest,
which also yet hid the Northern fort. Harry's heart began to beat
heavily, but he forced himself to preserve the appearance of calmness.
Pride stiffened his will and backbone. He was a veteran. He had been
at Sumter. He had seen the great bombardment, and he had taken a part
in it. He must show these raw men how a soldier bore himself in battle,
and, moreover, he was an officer whose business it was to lead.

The deep forest endured as they advanced in a diagonal line down the
slope. The great civil war of North America was fought mostly in the
forest, and often the men were not aware of the presence of one another
until they came face to face.

They were almost at the bottom where the valley opened out in grass land,
and were turning northward when Harry saw two figures ahead of them
among the trees. They were men in blue uniforms with rifles in their
hands, and they were staring in surprise at the advancing columns in
gray. But their surprise lasted only a moment. Then they lifted their
rifles, fired straight at the Invincibles, and with warning shouts
darted among the trees toward their own troops.

"Forward, lads!" shouted Colonel Talbot. "We're within four hundred
yards of the fort, and we must rush it! Officers, to your places!"

Their own bugle sang stirring music, and the men gathered themselves for
the forward rush. Up shot the sun, casting a sharp, vivid light over
the slopes and valley. The soldiers, feeling that victory was just
ahead, advanced with so much speed that the officers began to check them
a little, fearing that the Invincibles would be thrown into confusion.

The forest ended. Before them lay a slope, from which the bushes had
been cut away and beyond were trenches, and walls of fresh earth,
from