Gordon to his side.

A plan of action was soon established; and by the time the Confederate
force was within firing distance, the Riverlawns were drawn up along the
brow of the hill in battalion ranks, each battalion resting within two
hundred feet of that next to it.

"First company take aim--fire!" came the command; and the first blazed
away, followed by the fifth, and the ninth,--the leaders of the second
and third battalions. The smoke had not yet cleared away when the
second, sixth, and tenth companies came to the front and discharged
their carbines, and the companies behind these soon after followed suit.

The first volley did not halt the Confederates, but the second did,
while the third and fourth rounds caused the leading companies to fall
back, a score of men having been killed and wounded. But their leader
urged them on, and they left the road and charged straight up the little
hill.

Before the charge was made, Colonel Lyon saw that to combat with such a
force with a single regiment of cavalry would be folly. Accordingly he
despatched his orderly post-haste to Colonel Minty, with the following
message:--

"Force operating on the right too heavy for me. Think it is half a
division, or more. Will hold the top of the hill as long as I can."

The messenger had scarcely gone when the fight on the hillside began.
The Confederates crowded forward in large numbers, and it looked as if
the Riverlawns would be completely engulfed. But Colonel Lyon kept the
whole three battalions up to the firing line, with the exception of the
twelfth company, which was sent to the rear, to watch that they should
not be cut off from concentration with Minty.

Two charges had been made, when the orderly came back.

"Hold the hill for ten minutes, at any cost!" was the message sent back.
Minty was retreating, there being nothing else to do, and if the hill
was lost, the Confederates would surround him before Alexandria Bridge
could be gained.

"I will hold the hill," said Colonel Lyon, and waving his sabre, he came
up directly to the front. "Men, we are asked to hold this hill for ten
minutes. It means life or death to the cavalry on the Pea Vine Creek
road. Will you help me to hold it?"

"We will!" came in a stirring cry. "We will!"

"I knew you would do it! This is our stand, and here we must remain! Do
not budge an inch!"

"We'll stand like rocks!" shouted a heavy-set Kentuckian. "Hurrah for
Colonel Lyon!"

There was