escape he went down to his waist in a marsh,
another fact which saved his life a second time as the new volleys swept
over his head. The horses of other officers also were killed, and the
remainder, finding themselves such conspicuous targets, sprang to the
ground. The frightened animals, tearing the reins from their hands,
raced through the thickets or fell into the marsh.

All the time Dick heard the shells and bullets shrieking and whining
over his head. But, regaining his courage and presence of mind, he
slowly pulled himself out of the marsh, taking shelter behind a huge
cypress that grew at its very edge. As he dashed the mud out of his eyes
he heard a voice saying:

"Don't push! There's room enough here for the three of us. In fact,
there's room enough behind the big trees for all the officers."

It was Warner who was speaking with such grim irony, and Pennington by
his side was hugging the tree. Shells and shot shrieked over their heads
and countless bullets hummed about them. The soldiers also had taken
shelter behind the trees, and Warner's jest about the officers was
a jest only. Nevertheless the Southern fire was great in volume and
accuracy. Bowen was an able commander with excellent men, and from
his position that covered the meeting of the roads he swept both Union
columns with a continuous hail of death.

"We must get out of this somehow," said Dick. "If we're held here in
these swamps and thickets any longer the Johnnies can shoot us down at
their leisure."

"But we won't be held!" exclaimed Pennington. "Look! One of our brigades
is through, and it's charging the enemy on the right!"

It was Hovey who had forced his way through a thicket, supposed to be
impenetrable, and who now, with a full brigade behind him, was rushing
upon Bowen's flank. Then, while the Southern defense was diverted to
this new attack, the Winchester and the Ohio regiment attacked in front,
shouting with triumph.

Hovey's rush was overpowering. He drove in the Southern flank, taking
four cannon and hundreds of prisoners, but the dauntless Confederate
commander, withdrawing his men in perfect order, retreated to a second
ridge, where he took up a stronger position than the first.

Resolute and dangerous, the men in gray turned their faces anew to the
enemy and sent back a withering fire that burned away the front ranks
of the Union army. Osterhaus, in spite of every effort, was driven back,
and the Winchesters and their Oh