carry his strength up to over thirteen thousand. Ruin and defeat,
as he fancied, stared him in the face, for how could his five thousand
men encounter nearly three times their number? They would, of course, be
overwhelmed. There was safety only in flight.

So the demoralized commander gave orders to break camp, and retreated
precipitately, abandoning or burning a large portion of his supplies.

Garfield saw the fires, and guessed what had happened, being in the
secret of Marshall's delusion. He mounted his horse, and, with a
thousand men, entered the deserted camp at nine in the evening. The
stores that were yet unconsumed he rescued from destruction for the use
of his own army.

In order to keep up the delusion, he sent off a detachment to harass the
retreat of his ponderous adversary and fill his mind with continued
disquiet.

The whole thing was a huge practical joke, but not one that the rebels
were likely to enjoy. Fancy a big boy of eighteen fleeing in dismay from
a small urchin of eight, and we have a parallel to this flight of Gen.
Marshall from an intrenched position, with five thousand troops, when
his opponent could muster but fourteen hundred men in the open field.

Thus far, I think, it will be agreed that Colonel Garfield was a
strategist of the first order. His plan required a boldness and dash
which, under the circumstances, did him the greatest credit.

The next morning Colonel Craven arrived, and found, to his amazement,
that Garfield, single-handed, had forced his formidable enemy from his
strong position, and was in triumphant possession of the deserted rebel
camp.

CHAPTER XXIV.

THE BATTLE OF MIDDLE CREEK.

Col. Garfield has gained a great advantage, but he knows that it must be
followed up. His ambition is not satisfied. He means to force a fight
with Marshall, despite the odds.

He has been reinforced, but Craven's men are completely exhausted by
their long and toilsome march. They are hardly able to drag one foot
after the other. Garfield knows this, but he explains to his men what he
proposes to do. He orders those who have strength to come forward. Of
the men under his immediate command seven hundred obey the summons. Of
Craven's weary followers four hundred heroic men volunteer to accompany
him.

So at noon of the 9th, with eleven hundred men, Garfield sets out for
Prestonburg, sending all his available cavalry to follow the line of the
enemy's retreat. At nine o'clock