Under Fire: A Tale of the Shenandoah Valley — page 165: what you’re looking at

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

158 CHARGE AND COUNTERCHARGE. It was a deadly volley. Fully a score of saddles were Saimin, and the man who had ridden beside Colonel Trafton fell, pierced to the heart. As he went down his head struck the pommel of Trafton’s saddle, and the warm life-blood of the dy- ing raider plashed in the face of his commander. At the same instant a leaden pellet grazed the col- onel’s cheek, sufficiently close to start the blood. The wild vell died on the lips of the gallant colo- nel. This was something not down in the bills, With a masterly effort, he reined in his horse, and gazed after his rushing troops in dismay. Crack crack. crack! The woods seemed alive with Yankee marksmen. On all sides his own troops tumbled, and soon the onward sweep of gray-coats was checked. Back in wild confusion they came. No voice of command bidding them face the other way. Ah, no, for Colonel Trafton had drawn out. of the dangerous whirlpool in time to save his own pre- ‘cious neck. He remembered the words: of Captain Chetwood, and was not yet réady to lay down his life for the cause. Pell-mell, in wildest confusion, they rushed back over the ground they had lately crossed. The Unionists had been reinforced by some of Cus- ter’s men, which accounted for the furious offtensive- ness assumed by them. The Federals did not pursue very far, however. The main army was falling back from Middletown, and prudence forbade such a course. Colonel Trafton was glad to retire from the field, leaving ‘‘Loyal Mose’ and his Tigers masters of the situation. | » €omicbooks.co