Why had he not taken a shot at the horse of that flying girl?
"We must keep together, Dick!" shouted Warner.

"Here are Pennington and Sergeant Whitley, and there's Colonel Winchester.

I fancy that if we can get off with a part of our men we'll be doing well." Pennington's horse, shot through the head, dropped like a stone to the ground, but the deft youth, used to riding the wild mustangs of the prairie, leaped clear, seized another which was galloping about riderless, and at one bound sprang into the saddle.
"Good boy!" shouted Dick with admiration, but the next moment the horsemen of Forrest were rushing upon them anew.

More men were killed, many were taken, and Colonel Winchester, seeing the futility of further resistance, gathered together those who were left and took flight through the forest.
Tears of mortification came to Dick's eyes, but Sergeant Whitley, who rode on his right hand, said: "It's the only thing to do.

Remember that however bad your position may be it can always be worse.