have performed the greatest exploit of the war. His men were
already singing songs of triumph, for the river was in sight. Night came
on, but they marched through the darkness, to take position. In the gray
of the morning they would sweep aside the militia and cross over.

In the morning a heavy fog hung over river and land, as if the sun were
afraid to look down upon the scene to be enacted. In the gloom, Colonel
Duke and the dashing Huffman formed their commands and moved to the
attack. They were received with a fire which surprised them, coming as
they supposed from militia. But with loud cheers they swept forward, and
the Federals were forced back, leaving a piece of artillery. A little
farther and the ford would be won; then there came a crashing volley,
mingled with the thunder of artillery, and they saw before them, not
militia, but long lines of blue-coated veterans. General Judah's brigade
had been transported up the river in steamboats, and landed at Pomeroy.
They had marched all night, and were now in possession of the ford.

In vain the gallant Duke and Huffman struggled against that force. They
were driven back. Flight was to be resumed up the river, when couriers
came dashing in with the news that Hobson was up. They were hemmed in.
There was one place yet, a path through the woods, by which a few could
escape, if the Federal force could be held back for a time.

"Go!" cried Duke to Morgan, "and I will hold them until you are gone."

"Go!" cried Huffman, faint and bleeding from a wound, "and I will stay and
help Colonel Duke."

"Go!" cried Calhoun, "if you are saved I care not for myself."

Then there arose a storm of protests. Who could so well guard and protect
the chief as Calhoun and his scouts? And so, against Morgan's will,
Calhoun went with him.

"Come, then, we will clear the way," Calhoun cried to his scouts, and
before the way was closed, six hundred men with Morgan had escaped.

Hemmed in on every side, the Confederates fought as only desperate men can
fight; but as soon as it was known that Morgan was well away, Duke and
Huffman, and with them many other gallant officers, saw it would be
madness to fight longer, and with breaking hearts they surrendered to
their exultant foes. Then it was that some two or three hundred, in spite
of shot and shell, in spite of the leaden hail which fell around them,
plunged down the bank into the river. The bodies of many floated down,
their life blood re