eat cavalry
leaders of the South like Jeb Stuart, Turner Ashby and others. He drew
his men back instantly somewhat in the shelter of the trees and received
the Union fire first.

As Sherburne had expected, few of the Northern bullets struck home. Some
knocked bark from the trees, others kicked up dirt from the frozen
road, but most of them sang vainly through the empty air and passed far
beyond. Now the Southerners sent their fire full into the Union ranks,
and, at Sherburne's shouted command, charged, with their leader at their
head swinging his sword in glittering circles like some knight of old.

The Southern volley had brought down many horses and men, but the
Northern force was double in numbers and many of the men carried new
breech-loading rifles of the best make. While unused to horses and
largely ignorant of the country, they had good officers and they
stood firm. The Southern charge, meeting a second volley from the
breech-loading rifles, broke upon their front.

Harry, almost by the side of Sherburne, felt the shock as they galloped
into the battle smoke, and then he felt the Virginians reel. He heard
around him the rapid crackle of rifles and pistols, sabers clashing
together, the shouts of men, the terrible neighing of wounded horses,
and then the two forces drew apart, leaving a sprinkling of dead and
wounded between.

It was a half retreat by either, the two drawing back sixty or seventy
yards apiece and then beginning a scattered and irregular fire from the
rifles. But Sherburne, alert always, soon drew his men into the shelter
of the woods, and attempted an attack on his enemy's flank.

Some destruction was created in the Union ranks by the fire from the
cover of the forest, but the officers of the opposing force showed
skill, too. Harry had no doubt from the way the Northern troops were
handled that at least two or three West Pointers were there. They
quickly fell back into the forest on the other side of the road, and
sent return volleys.

Harry heard the whistle and whizz of bullets all about them. Bark was
clipped from trees and dry twigs fell. Yet little damage was done by
either. The forest, although leafless, was dense, and trunks and low
boughs afforded much shelter. Both ceased fire presently, seeming to
realize at the same moment that nothing was being done, and hovered
among the trees, each watching for what the other would try next.

Harry kept close to Captain Sherburne, whose face