e your breath for quick, hard work, and pay
close attention to orders. We'll move in quick time to the edge of that
slashing of timber; every man make his way through it as best he can,
keeping as near his Captain as possible. As soon as through it he will
run with all his might for the works, fire his gun into the rebels as he
jumps the works, and then rely on his bayonet. No man must fire a shot
until we are crossing the works, and then I want every shot to fetch a
rebel."

He waited a moment before giving the command to advance, for Co. Q,
which had snaked the battery out of the mudhole in a hurry, was coming
on a dead run in order to be on time for the charge. It snatched its
guns from the stacks, and lined up like a long flash of blue light.

The artillerymen had lashed their jaded horses into a feverish run,
swept out into an open space, flung their guns "into battery," and
opened with a vicious bang on the rebel works.

So far not a head appeared above the breastworks; not a shot from the
embrasures in the forts.

"They're just laying low," whispered Si to Shorty, as they instinctively
brought their shoulders together and summoned their energies for the
swift advance. "They'll blaze out like the fires o' hell just as we git
tangled up in that infernal timber-slashin'."

"Well," muttered Shorty, "we'll know mighty soon now. In five minutes
we'll either be in Heaven or bayoneting the rebels in that fort."

"Battalion, forward march!" commanded the Colonel.

The regiments to the right and left got the command at the same instant,
and the long wave of blue rolled forward without a break or fault in its
perfect alignment.

A hundred yards were quickly passed, and still the rebel works were as
silent as a country churchyard. The suspense was fearful. Men bent their
heads as if in momentary expectation of being struck by a fearful blast.

Another hundred yards. Still no bullet from the rifle-pits, no canister
from the forts.

Another hundred yards, and they had struck the entangling abatis, and
were feverishly working their clothes loose from the sharp-pointed
limbs.

"Capt. McGillicuddy," excitedly shouted Si, "there's no men in them works.
Didn't you see that flock o' blackbirds just settle down on that fort?"

"That's true," said the Captain, after a quick glance. "Colonel, they've
evacuated."

A little to the left of the company Si saw a path through the abatis
made by the rebels taking short cuts in