The fog blew away again and they beheld once more
the gray lines of the Southerners, and the white wooden walls of the
church.
So fierce and overwhelming was the Northern rush that all of Jackson's
men and the Texans were borne back, and were driven from the ridges and
out of the woods. Exultant, the men in blue followed, their roar of
triumph swelling above the thunder of the battle.
"Victory!" cried Dick, but Warner shouted:
"Look out!"
The keen eyes of the young Vermonter had seen masses of infantry and
cavalry on their flank. Hooker, fierce and impetuous, had gone too far,
and now the Southern trumpets sang the charge. Stuart, fiery and
dauntless, his saber flashing, led his charging horsemen, and Hill threw
his infantry upon the Northern flank.
It seemed to Dick that he was in a huge volcano of fire and smoke.
Men who, in their calm moments, did not hate one another, glared into
hostile eyes. There was often actual physical contact, and the flash
from the cannon and rifles blazed in Dick's face. The Southerners in
front who had been driven back returned, and as Stuart and Hill continued
to beat hard upon their flanks, the troops of Hooker were compelled to
retreat.
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