the victims, and in great disorder the beaten remnants fled.

Eighteen guns, among them, sad to say, trophies of Sabine Cross-Roads,
concentrated their fire upon the six pieces of Southworth and
presently overcame him by sheer weight. The giving way of
Benedict had already exposed Shaw's left when Walker closed with
him. Vigorously attacked in front, and menaced in flank, Shaw made
a stout fight, but he was in great danger of being cut off. Not
a moment too soon A. J. Smith recalled him.

When Shaw gave back, Dwight suddenly found himself attacked in
front by Walker and in flank and rear by Major. At this trying
moment the 114th New York and the 153d New York were covering the
fork of the roads to Mansfield and to Logansport, while beyond the
Mansfield road, on the right, stood the 116th New York. To protect
the left and right flanks of this little line, Dwight quickly moved
the 29th Maine and the 161st New York. Fortunately his men stood
firm under the trial of a fire that seemed to come from all quarters
at once. For a moment, indeed, the exultant and still advancing
Confederates seemed masters of the plain. Along the whole Union
front nothing was to be seen in place save Dwight's men far off on
the right, standing as it were on a rocky islet, with the gray
floods surging on every side.

But far away, out of sight from the plain, an event had already
occurred that was to cost the Confederates the battle. Parsons,
following up the overthrow of Benedict, offered his own right flank
to Lynch, who stood alert and observant in the skirt of the woods,
beyond the left of Mower. Lynch struck hard and began doubling up
the Missourians. Seeing this, and noting the condition of affairs
on the other flank, A. J. Smith instantly ordered forward his whole
line. Shaw had already re-formed his brigade on the right of Mower.
Across Dwight's rear Emory was leading McMillan from his position
in reserve, to restore the line on Dwight's left. Then, just at
the instant when to one standing on the plain the day must have
seemed hopelessly lost, the long lines of A. J. Smith, with Mower
riding at the head, were seen coming out of the woods and sweeping,
with unbroken front and steady tread, down upon the front and flank
of the enemy. To the right of this splendid line McMillan joined
his brigade, and among its intervals here and there the rallied
fragments of Benedict's brigade found places. Under this impetuous
onset, Pa