The two forces wheeled and faced each other across the open space, their horses staring with red eyes, and the men looking intently at their opponents.

Both were oppressed for an instant or two by a deep and singular silence.
Dick's eyes swept fearfully along the gray column of the South, and he saw the one whom he did not wish to see--at least not there--Harry Kenton himself, sitting on his bay horse with his friends around him.

The two elderly men must be Colonel Leonidas Talbot and Lieutenant-Colonel Hector St.Hilaire, and the three youths beside Harry were surely St.Clair, Langdon and Dalton.
As he looked, Colonel Leonidas Talbot raised his sword, and at the same time came the sharp command of Colonel Hertford.

Rifles and carbines flashed from either side across the open space, and two streams of bullets crossed.

In an instant the silver of the moonlight was hidden by clouds of smoke through which flashed the fire from hundreds of rifles and carbines.