eing crowd, leaving behind their dead and
wounded. Only three men had placed foot on the porch, and they lay there
motionless; one had grasped the sill of a window, and had fallen back
with a crushed skull. It was all over with so quickly that through the
smoke we looked at each other dazed, and then stared out at the flying
figures. I groped my way from room to room, ordering a reloading of the
guns, and asking if there were any injured. The walls were scarred by
bullets much of the piled up furniture splintered, but only two men had
been hit, and their, wounds were slight.

"They'll try it again, lads," I said. "Get ready." There was no doubt of
that, for they were old soldiers out yonder, and would never rest under
the stigma of defeat. But they were bound to be more cautious a second
time, and would give us a harder tussle.

The fleeing men were rallied just beyond the negro cabins, cursed by
their officers and driven back into line; then moved slowly forward
again to their former position in the orchard. The sudden terror which
had smitten them when the silent house burst into death flames, had
somewhat worn off, and a desire for revenge succeeded. I could see the
officers passing back and forth talking and gesticulating. A dozen
troopers under a flag of truce came forward to pick up the wounded, and
without even challenging we permitted them to do their work. The house
remained quiet, sombre, silent, nothing showing but the dark barrels of
our carbines. The infantry battalion at the gate moved against the left
of the cavalry, and couriers were despatched to hurry up more. Out by
the negro quarters a dozen officers held council, pointing at the
house, and by gestures designating a plan of attack. I think they sent
for artillery, but none came, and when one of the couriers returned and
reported, bringing only another infantry battalion, it was decided to
delay the attempt no longer. They formed this time in double line,
sufficiently extended so as to cover the front and two sides of the
house, with a squad concealed back of the stable, prepared to rush the
kitchen and take us in the rear. It was not a bad plan had we misjudged
it, but the ground was so open nothing could be concealed. A wagon came
up with ammunition, and the men filled their belts. They moved forward
to within long firing distance, the cavalry covering the north side, one
battalion of infantry the south, and the other prepared to assail the
front.