The great mass of Northern horsemen were eager and impatient.  A thrill of anticipation seemed to run through them, as if through one body, and when the final command was given they swept forward in a mighty, irresistible line.  In Dick’s mind then anticipation became knowledge.  He was as sure as he was of his own name that they were going to win.

Again he was knee to knee with Warner and Pennington, and with these good comrades on his right and left he rode into the Southern fire, among the shell and shrapnel and grapeshot and bullets that had swept so often around him.  In spite of the most desperate courage, the Southern troops gave way before the terrific onset—­they had to give ground or they would have been trampled under the feet of the horses.  Cannon and many rifles were taken, and the whole Confederate division was driven in disorder down the road.

Warner’s stern calm was broken, and he shouted in delight “We win!  We win!” Then Dick and Pennington shouted with him:  “We win!  We win!” and as the smoke of their own battle lifted they saw that the Union army elsewhere was triumphant also.  Sheridan along his whole line was forcing the enemy back toward Winchester, raking him with his heavy guns, and sending charge after charge of cavalry against him.  Unable to withstand the weight hurled upon them the Southern troops gave ground at an increased rate.

Yet Early and his veterans never showed greater courage than on that day.  His brave officers were everywhere, checking the fugitives and, his best division turning a front of steel to the enemy, covered the retreat.  Neither infantry nor cavalry could break it, although every man in the Southern command knew that the battle was lost.  Yet they were resolved that it should not become a rout, and though many were falling before the Union force they never shrank for a moment from their terrible task.

The Invincibles were in the division that covered the retreat, and they were exposed at all times to the full measure of the Union attack.  Dalton had joined them that morning, but the bullets and shells seemed resolved to spare the four youths and the two colonels, or at least not to doom them to death.  Nearly every one of them bore slight wounds, and often men had been killed only a few feet away, but the valiant band, led by its daring officers, fought with undimmed courage and resolution.

“I fear that we have been defeated, Hector,” said Colonel Leonidas Talbot.

“Don’t call it a defeat, Leonidas.  It’s merely a masterly retreat before superior numbers, after having inflicted great loss upon the enemy.  As you see, we are protecting our withdrawal.  Every attack of the enemy upon our division has been beaten back, and we will continue to beat him back as long as he comes.”

“True, true, Hector, and the Invincibles are bearing a great part in this glorious feat of arms!  But the Yankee general, Sheridan, is not like the other Yankee generals who operated in the valley earlier in the war.  We’re bound to admit that.”