Toward the ravine all remained quiet, although here and there in the
orchard some of the gray-clad stragglers had found opportunity to lie
down out of the ruck. But the smoke and musketry gave me a conception of
the Confederate line of battle, its left thrown across the pike with
centre and right doubling back into the form of a horse-shoe, all
centring on the Hardy house. Within twenty minutes we would be caught as
in a trap. I sprang back to the stairs, and as I did so a sudden yell
rose from the surging mob without, a shout in which seemed to mingle
fear and exultation. Bell, from a side window joined in, and a single
glance told the reason: up from the south rode cavalry, sweeping the
pike clean of its riff-raff, and behind, barely visible through the
dust, tramped a compact mass of infantry, breaking into double time. The
black-bearded aide dashed to their front, waving sabre and pointing; the
clear note of a bugle cleaved the air; the horsemen spread out like a
fan, and with the wild yell of the South rising above the din, the files
of infantry broke into a run, and came sweeping forward in a gray
torrent. Chambers had come up at last, come to hurl his fresh troops
into the gap, and change the tide of battle. Even the stragglers paused,
hastening to escape the rush, and facing again to the front.
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