y was
a hill overlooking the intrenchments of the enemy, which sheltered the
command from the guns if they were fired in that direction; and the
aide-de-camp rode his horse up the declivity, which was partially
covered with trees.

Then he dismounted, hitched his horse, and placed himself behind a
tree, where he could see all the force he had taken under his command,
and all the approaches of the enemy who were hurrying down the pike and
on both sides of it. Just then he wished he had half a dozen regiments
of troops, for he believed that with a sufficient force he could cut
off the retreat of the enemy to his works.

He had five companies of cavalry and fifty-six riflemen, less than a
single regiment; and he could only impede, but not check, the retreat.
Major Lyon surveyed the country around from all points; and when he saw
the captain on the hill, he ascended it in order to make a startling
proposition to him.

"We are within half a mile of the enemy's intrenchments, Captain
Woodbine," the major began.

"Hardly as near as that, Major," replied the aide-de-camp.

"A quarter of a mile would make no difference with my plan."

"Ah, then you have a plan?" replied the captain with a smile.

"I am not an engineer, as I believe you are; but I have been looking
over those earthworks. I see a place where I believe I could ride my
squadron over them; and I presume there is not a large force there, for
it has the river on one side. We have something less than six hundred
men, all mounted, and I fancy we could ride over the artillerymen it
contains."

"I don't believe you could get into the works, in the first place,"
returned the captain with a laugh. "If you did get in, you would find
yourself outnumbered two to one."

"I should be willing to feel of them, at any rate," added the major.

"Do you suppose a general with ability enough to command an army of
five or six thousand men would be so stupid as to march from his
intrenchments, and, going away ten miles to attack another army, would
leave his base of retreat insufficiently manned?"

"I supposed they would have been sending up re-enforcements to the
battle-field all day; and they could not have done that without
reducing greatly the number in the works. However, I am not a very
experienced soldier, Captain Woodbine, and I am willing to admit that I
should not have undertaken the enterprise on my own responsibility,"
replied the major.

"Of course it may be p