Colonel Newcomb and Major Hertford stood amid their men, encouraging them to receive the shock.

But Dick had time for only a glance at these old comrades of his.

The Southern wave, crested with fire and steel, was rolling swiftly upon them, and as the Southern troops rushed on they began to fire as fast as they could pull the trigger, fire and pull again.
Bullets in sheets struck in the Union ranks.

Hundreds of men went down.
Dick heard the thud of lead and steel on flesh, and the sudden cries of those who were struck.

It needs no small courage to hold fast against more than ten thousand men rushing forward at full speed and bent upon victory or death.
Dick felt all the pulses in his temples beating hard, and he had a horrible impulse to break and run, but pride kept him firm.