appeared Harry saw a moving mass of men in blue. It was a great body of
troops and the sun shining through the rift glittered over bayonets and
rifle barrels. They were marching straight toward a slope which led at a
rather easy grade up the side of the mountain.

"They're not waiting to be attacked! They're attacking!" cried Harry,
springing to his feet and running to the point where he knew Jackson
stood. Jackson received his news, looked for himself, and then began to
push on the troops. A shout arose as the army pressed forward to meet
the enemy who were coming so boldly.

"We ought to beat 'em, as we have the advantage of the heights,"
exclaimed Sherburne, who was now on foot.

But the advantage was the other way. Those were staunch troops who were
advancing, men of Ohio and West Virginia, and while they were yet on the
lower slopes their cannon, firing over their heads, swept the crest with
shot and shell. The eager Southern youths, as invariably happens with
those firing downward, shot too high. The Northern regiments now opening
with their rifles and taking better aim came on in splendid order.

"What a magnificent charge!" Harry heard Sherburne exclaim.

The rifles by thousands were at work, and the unceasing crash sent
echoes far through the mountains. The Southerners at the edge of the
cliff were cut down by the fire of their enemy from below. Their loss
was now far greater than that of the North, and their officers sought to
draw them back from the verge, to a ridge where they could receive the
charge, just as it reached the crest and pour into them their full fire.
The eager young regiment from Georgia refused to obey.

"Have we come all these hundreds of miles from Georgia to run before
Yankees?" they cried, and stood there pulling trigger at the enemy,
while their own men fell fast before the bitter Northern hail.

Harry, too, was forced to admire the great resolution and courage with
which the Northern troops came upward, but he turned away to be ready
for any command that Jackson might give him. The general stood by a rock
attentively watching the fierce battle that was going on, but not yet
giving any order. But Harry fancied that he saw his eyes glisten as he
beheld the ardor of his troops.

A detachment of Virginians, posted in the rear, seeing a break in the
first line, rushed forward without orders, filled the gap and came
face to face with the men in blue. Harry thought he saw Jackson's e