“Look!” he exclaimed.  “All our reserves of artillery and infantry are coming up!  The whole army will now advance!”

They saw very clearly the deepening of the lines in the center.  Sheridan was there massing the new troops for the attack, and soon the trumpets sounded the charge along the whole front.  The Northern batteries redoubled their fire, and the South, knowing that a heavier shock of battle was coming, replied in kind.

“Here we go again!” cried Pennington, and the horsemen rode straight at their enemy.  It seemed to Dick that the Southern regiments came forward to meet them and a battle long, fierce and wavering in its fortunes ensued.  The wing to which the Winchesters belonged pressed forward, driving their enemy before them, only to be caught when they went too far by a savage flanking fire of artillery.  Early had brought in his reserve guns, and so powerful was their attack that at this point the Northern line was almost severed, and a Southern wedge was driven into the gap.

But Sheridan did not despair.  He had a keen eye and a collected mind, infused with a fiery spirit.  Where his line had been weakened he sent new troops.  With charge after charge he drove the Confederates out of the gap and closed it up.  A whole division was then hurled with its full weight against the Southern line and broke it, although the gallant general who led the column fell shot through the heart.

But Early formed new lines.  It was only a temporary success for Sheridan.  An important division of cavalry sent on a wide flanking movement had not yet arrived, and he wondered why.  Perhaps the thought came into his own dauntless heart that he might not succeed at all, but, if so, he hid it, and called up fresh resources of strength and courage.  It was now far into the afternoon but he resolved nevertheless to win victory before the day was over.  Everywhere the call for a new charge was sounded.

The Winchesters had a good trumpeter, a deep-chested young fellow who loved to blow forth mellow notes, and now as his brazen instrument sang the song that summoned men to death the young men unconsciously tightened the grip of the knee on their horses, and leaned a little forward, as if they would see the enemy more closely.  To the right the fire grew heavier and heavier, and most of the field was hidden by a thick veil of smoke.

Dick saw other cavalry massing on either side of the Winchester regiment, and he knew their charge was to be one of great weight and importance.

“I feel that we’re going to win or lose here,” he said to Warner.

“Looks like it,” replied the Vermonter, “but I think you can put your money on the cavalry today.  It’s Sheridan’s great striking arm.”

“It’ll have to strike with all its might, that’s sure,” said Dick.

He did not know that the force in front of him was commanded by a general from his own state, Breckinridge, once Vice-President of the United States and also high in the councils of the Confederacy.  Breckinridge was inspiring his command with the utmost vigor and already his heavy guns were sweeping the front of the Union cavalry, while the riflemen stood ready for the charge.