he advancing column, shaken by the furious fire of our regiment, recoiled
before the shock. Slowly the foe fell back, leaving heaps of their slain
upon the hotly-contested ground. Our boys halted, and poured in another
destructive volley.

The Confederate officers rallied their men, and, maddened by the check
they had received, drove them forward to recover the lost ground.

"Once more, boys! Give it to 'em again," cried Tom, as the order to
advance was repeated.

His words were only representations of his actions; for, as he spoke, he
rushed on a little in front of his comrades, who, however, pressed forward
to keep up with him. He did not exceed the orders of his superior, but he
was one of the promptest to obey them. On dashed the regiment, and again
the rebel line recoiled, and soon broke in spite of the admirable efforts
of their officers to keep them steady.

"Kearney! Kearney! Kearney is here!" shouted the weary heroes in various
parts of the field.

"Down with them!" roared Tom, as the inspiring words rang in his ears.
"Down with them! Kearney has come, and the day is ours!"

He had scarcely uttered the words, and sprung forward, before he was seen
to drop upon the ground, several paces in front of the line, though the
undaunted old Hapgood was close by his side. The enemy had fled; the
danger of being flanked was averted; and when Kearney's men dashed on the
field, the sad-hearted veteran, assisted by Fred Pemberton, bore the
silent form of the gallant sergeant to the rear.

Kearney and Hancock rushed gallantly to the rescue of the exhausted
troops, and Hooker's division was ordered to the rear to act as a reserve.
The strife raged with unabated fury as those who had borne the brunt of
the battle slowly fell back to give place to the fresh legions.

Poor Tom was tenderly carried by the wiry veteran and his friends to the
surgeon's quarters in the rear. There were tears in the eyes of the old
man as he laid the silent form of his _protege_ upon the wet ground. There
he sat by his charge, sorrowful beyond expression, till tremendous shouts
rent the air. Tom opened his eyes.

"Glory and Victory!" shouted he, in husky tones, as he sprang to his feet.

CHAPTER XXXII.

HONORABLE MENTION.

The surgeon examined Tom's wound, and found that he had been struck by a
bullet over the left temple. The flesh was torn off, and if the skull was
not fractured, it had received a tremendous hard shock. It was p