The Southern resistance, despite inferior numbers, was valiant and enduring.  Their heavy guns were pouring a deadly fire upon the Northern center.  Beyond the taking of the fort by the cavalry the Army of the Shenandoah had made no progress, and the Southern troops were rapidly concentrating at every critical point.  Old Jube Early, mighty swearer, was proving himself a master of men.

Dick could not watch Sheridan long, as the cavalry were quickly sent off to the left to clear away skirmishers, and let the infantry and artillery get up on that front.  There were many groups of trees, and from every one of these the Southern riflemen sent swarms of bullets.  It seemed to Dick that he was preserved miraculously.  Many a bullet coming straight for his head must have turned aside at the last moment to seek a target elsewhere.  To him at least these bullets were merciful that morning.

But they cleared the ground, though some of their own saddles were emptied, and the infantry and the artillery came up behind them.  The big guns were planted and began to reply to those of the South.  Yet the Confederate lines still held fast.  Clouds of smoke floated over the field, but whenever they lifted sufficiently Dick saw the gray army maintaining all its positions.  He looked for the Invincibles again but could not find them.  Doubtless they were hid from his view by the hills.

“It’s anybody’s fight,” said Warner, surveying the field with his cool, mathematical eye.  “We have the greater numbers but our infantry are coming up slowly and, besides, the enemy has the advantage of interior lines.”

“And the morning wanes,” said Dick.  “I thought we’d make a grand rush and sweep over ’em!”

“Oh, these Johnnies are tough.  They have to be.  There’s not much marching over the other by either side in this war.”

A heavy battle of cannon and rifles, with no advantage to either side, went on for a long time.  Dick saw Sheridan galloping here and there, and urging on his troops, but the reserves were slow in coming and he was not yet able to hurl his full strength upon his enemy.  Noon came, the battle already having lasted four or five hours, and Sheridan had no triumph to show, save the little fort that the cavalry had seized early in the morning.

“Do you think we’ll have to draw off?” asked Pennington.

“Maybe we’ll have to, but we won’t,” replied Dick.  “Sheridan refuses to recognize necessities when they’re not in his favor.  You’ll now see the difference between a man and men.”

Colonel Winchester’s regiment was sent off further to the left to prevent any flanking movement, but they could still see most of the field.  For the moment they were not engaged, and they watched the thrilling and terrific panorama as it passed before them.

Colonel Winchester himself suddenly broke from his calm and pointed to the rear of the Union lines.