ing against them. The word was given to retreat, lest they be
surrounded, and they fell back slowly disputing with desperation every
foot of ground that they gave up. Yet they left many fallen behind. A
fourth of the regiment had been killed or wounded already, and there
were tears in the eyes of Colonel Winchester as he looked over the torn
ranks of his gallant men.

Now the Southerners, meaning to drive victory home, were bringing up
their reserves and pouring fresh troops upon the shattered Union front.
They would have swept everything away, but in the nick of time a fresh
Union brigade arrived also, supported the yielding forces and threw
itself upon the enemy.

But Grant had not yet come. It seemed that in the beginning fortune
played against this man of destiny, throwing all her tricks in favor
of his opponents. The single time that he was away the attack bad been
made, and if he would win back a lost battle there was great need to
hurry.

The Southern troops, exultant and full of fire and spirit, continually
rolled back their adversaries. They wheeled more guns from the fort into
position and opened heavily on the yielding foe. If they were beaten
back at any time they always came on again, a restless wave, crested
with fire and steel.

Dick's regiment continued to give ground slowly. It had no choice but to
do so or be destroyed. It seemed to him now that he beheld the wreck
of all things. Was this to be Bull Run over again? His throat and eyes
burned from the smoke and powder, and his face was black with grime.
His lips were like fire to the touch of each other. He staggered in the
smoke against some one and saw that it was Warner.

"Have we lost?" he cried. "Have we lost after doing so much?"

The lips of the Vermonter parted in a kind of savage grin.

"I won't say we've lost," he shouted in reply, "but I can't see anything
we've won."

Then he lost Warner in the smoke and the regiment retreated yet further.
It was impossible to preserve cohesion or keep a line formed. The
Southerners never ceased to press upon them with overwhelming weight.
Pillow, now decisive in action, continually accumulated new forces
upon the Northern right. Every position that McClernand had held at the
opening of the battle was now taken, and the Confederate general was
planning to surround and destroy the whole Union army. Already he
was sending messengers to the telegraph with news for Johnston of his
complete victory.