Under Fire: A Tale of the Shenandoah Valley — page 163: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

156 CHARGE AND COUNTERCHARGE. “when you return, if you should return, you will not find me waiting for you to hang—not if I know my- self, and I think that I do.”’ Captain Chetwood was lifted to the saddle, in front of one of the six cavalrymen, and borne away to the rear, beyond the crash and roar of the conflict near Middletown: The fight on Middletown Meadows was a furious one, and one of the first to enter the fray was *‘* Loyal Mose,’’ at the head of his gallant troop. The fight was well-nigh over when Colonel Traf- ton, at the head of two hundred men, dashed along the fields in search of his enemy, the loyal boy of Virginia. The colonel had no wish to participate in the strug- gle, further than to swoop down upon and crush Moses Bluff. _ .No; the brave colonel was more at home raiding wagon trains, or chasing Union families from home and burning their houses. In this latter work he had become a terror to females and little children, whose male defenders were in the Union ranks fighting for the old flag. “Hurrah! the Vankees are on the run again |”? This shout was taken up and repeated a score of times, as the veterans of Merritt and Custer began to retire. Long, loud, and shrill rang the Confederate yell above the din of strife. ie ‘“Going back—running like cowards, “and I have not yet met the man I hate,’’ cried Colonel Tratton, swinging his sword aloft, making the air about him blue with oaths. ‘‘Look you, kunnel,’’ cried out a man who rode at the Confederate raider’s side. ‘‘Thar’s pickin’s for ye. ) The smoke of battle had lifted, and through the trees, a squad of Union cavalry was moving. —_ GComicbooks.co