; Jubal Early forming a line
of battle in the rolling fields. An aide came to "Old Jube." "General
Jackson's compliments to General Early, and he says you will advance on
the enemy, and General Winder's troops will support you." Early had a
thin, high, drawling voice. "My compliments to General Jackson, and tell
him I will do it."

The Stonewall Brigade, drawn up in the rear of the Artillery, stood
waiting its orders from Winder. There came a rumor. "The general is
killed! General Winder is killed!" The Stonewall chose to be
incredulous. "It is not so! We don't believe it."

The 65th, cut to pieces at White Oak Swamp, had renewed itself.
Recruits--boys and elderly men--a few melancholy conscripts, a number of
transferals from full commands had closed its ranks. The 65th, smaller
now, of diluted quality, but even so, dogged and promising well,--the
65th, waiting on the edge of a wheat field, looked across it to
Taliaferro's and Campbell's brigades and the dark wood in front. Billy
Maydew was sergeant now and Matthew Coffin was first lieutenant of
Company A. The two had some talk under a big walnut tree.

"Artillery's been shouting for two hours," said Coffin. "They've got a
hell lot of cavalry, too, but if there's any infantry I can't see it."

"There air a message gone to Campbell and Taliaferro. I heard Old Jack
send it. 'Look well to your left,' he says, says he. That thar wood's
the left," said Billy. "It looks lonesomer than lonesome, but thar! when
lonesome things do blaze out they blaze out the worst!"

The colonel of the 65th--Colonel Erskine--came along the front. "It's
too true, men. We've lost General Winder. Well, we'll avenge him!--Look!
there is Jubal Early advancing!"

Early's line of battle was a beautiful sight. It moved through the
fields and up a gentle hillside, and pushed before it bright clusters of
Federal cavalry. When the grey lines came to the hilltop the Federal
batteries opened fiercely. Early posted Dement and Brown and loudly
answered. To the left rolled great wheat fields, the yellow grain
standing in shocks. Here gathered the beautiful blue cavalry, many and
gallant. Ewell with Trimble's South Carolinians and Harry Hayes's
Louisianians held the slope of the mountain, and from these heights
bellowed Latimer's guns. Over hill and vale the Light Division was seen
coming, ten thousand men in grey led by A. P. Hill.

"It surely air a sight to see," said Billy. "I never even dreamed it,