The cry was taken up on all sides. An answering call came back: “Here they come! Down with the Yankees!” And then came a blaze from a long line of rifles, and two of the Goreville Volunteers went down to their deaths before being permitted to strike even one blow in the cause for which they had enlisted. “Take aim! Fire!” came the command from Captain Paulding, and steadying himself, Louis aimed his gun straight at one of the enemy and pulled the trigger. The death of two men he knew well had nerved him for the deed, and he saw the Confederate throw up his hands and fall back, shot through the shoulder. “Forward again, boys! Forward! We must gain those breastworks!” came the cries. Away they went, out of the woods, to confront that deadly fire again. Three went down, wounded, and the men were ordered to “close up.” The smoke now became thick and in the midst of this the brass cannons spoke again, but the shots were too high and did no damage. Louis now found himself at the edge of the breastworks, with Harry and Moses Blackwell still beside him. Close at hand was Nathan Hornsby, and with a quick leap the Pennsylvania farmer was on the mound of dirt and brush, and Louis scrambled after him. Others followed in rapid succession and the breastworks were taken. But not for long. With a wild yell the Confederates rallied and bore down upon their enemy. The brass cannons had been hauled away and the open field became the ground for a fierce hand-to-hand conflict. Louis tried to keep close to his friends, but in the mêlée this was impossible, and in a minute more he found himself alone and in the very midst of the enemy! CHAPTER X A MEETING AND A RETREAT The forces under General Beauregard at the battle of Bull Run consisted of some twenty regiments of infantry and a number of cavalry companies and sections of light artillery. It was a regiment of South Carolina men that had defended the earthworks attacked by the Goreville Volunteers and others, and they fought bravely for many hours after the scene recorded in the last chapter. The battery was one from North Carolina and retreated from its first position only to take a second half-way up the side of a hill, at the top of which stood a single house. It was around the vicinity of this house that the main onslaughts of the day occurred. In the meantime, however, what of the cavalry to which Andy was attached? The Montgomery Grays were located along the Warrenton turnpike, and it was their honor to capture one of the first cannons taken from the Union army. The capture took place at a bend in the road, and was followed by a fierce attack by the boys in blue, which nearly demoralized the Montgomery Grays.