d.
So deadly was the fire of the sharpshooters that they regained the wood,
driving out the Southerners who had exhausted their cartridges. Hill's
division of the Confederates was almost cut to pieces by the cannon
and rifles, and the Southern leaders from their posts on the hills saw
brigades and regiments continually coming to the help of the North.

Dick saw or rather felt the fortunes of the North rising again, and as
his regiment stood up for action once more he began to shout with the
others in triumph. The roar of the battle grew so steady that the voices
of men became audible and articulate beneath it.

"They shut their trap down upon us, but we're breaking that trap all to
pieces," he heard Pennington say.

"Looks as if we might win a victory," said the cooler Warner.

Then he heard no more, as they were once again upon the enemy who
received them almost hand to hand, and the battle swelled anew. It was
now long past noon, and in that prodigious canopy of dust and fire and
smoke it seemed for a while that the Union army in truth had shattered
the trap. The men in gray were borne back by the courage and weight of
their opponents. Hooker, Kearney, Reynolds and all the gallant generals
of the North continually urged on their troops. Confidence in victory at
last passed through all the army, and incited it to greater efforts.

But Jackson was undaunted. Never was he cooler. Never did his genius
shine more brilliantly. Never did any man in all the fury and turmoil
of battle, amid a thousand conflicting reports and appalling confusion,
have a keener perception, a greater power to sum up what was actually
passing, and a better knowledge of what to do.

Lee was a mile away, standing on a wooded hill, the bearded Longstreet
by his side, watching the battle in his immediate front, where
accumulating masses under Pope's own eye were gathering. On the other
flank where Jackson stood and the conflict was heaviest he trusted all
to his great lieutenant and not in vain.

Jackson had formed his plan. There came for a few moments a lull in the
battle which had now lasted nine hours, and then gathering a powerful
reserve he sent them charging through the wood with the bayonet. Dick
saw the massive line of glittering steel coming on at the double
quick and he felt his regiment giving back. The men could not help it.
Physically exhausted and with ammunition running low they slowly yielded
the wood. Many of the youths wept w