In another second the two forces came together. But now the Confederates retreated, hoping to cut off the Volunteers from the main body of the Union army. In this they were partly successful, for the one regiment which had gone forward was not properly reinforced. The fighting went on in much disorder, and a portion of the Goreville Volunteers found themselves isolated from the rest of the command. “We’re in for it!” cried Harry Bingham, who remained close to Louis. “Look, the rebs are on every side of us!” “Surrender!” came the cry of a Confederate commander. “Down you go, Yank!” Louis heard poured into his ear, and then he was sent to earth. By the time he could arise he was a prisoner, and was being hurried to the rear of the Confederate lines. “Hurrah! we’re bagging the Northern mud-sills!” came the victorious yell, as Louis and a score of others, all strangers to him but Nathan Hornsby, were being pushed along. “We’ll have ’em all by night!” “Say, Yank, don’t McClellan wish he had stayed at home? He’ll get more than his fill before we are done with him!” To none of these taunts did Louis reply, and, indeed, it was not safe to do so, for some hot-head would have gloried in shooting down the prisoner where he stood. As Louis went on he noted with a sinking heart how thickly the Confederate troops were massed, tens of thousands of them standing upon every hand. “Hornsby, what do you think of this?” he whispered. “I think we are done for, unless Sumner arrives to help Couch out,” was the low reply. “But that ain’t our affair just now. Louis, it looks like we was in a bad fix.” “I think so myself. Perhaps we’ll see the inside of Libby Prison before the end comes.” “Heaven keep us out of that foul hole,” murmured Hornsby, and then the order came for silence, and no more was said. The prisoners had been passed along, from one guard to the next, until a strong fortification just upon the northeastern outskirts of Richmond was gained. Here they were searched and everything of value was taken from them. They were then tied up in pairs, Louis and Hornsby together, and made to squat down upon the ground, and here they remained for the balance of that day and all night, under sentinels who were cautioned to shoot them down at the least sign of an outbreak. During this time the Union soldiers were driven steadily back until the reinforcements mentioned by Hornsby arrived, when General Sumner put an end to the Confederate advance, and all rested upon their arms until morning. For this portion of the contest the Confederates claimed a victory.