Early had not been caught napping.

The dark lines of his infantry were advancing to retake the little fort.

The cavalry was reduced in an instant from the offensive to the defensive, and dismounting and sending their horses to the rear, where they were held by every tenth man, they waited with carbines ready, the masses of men in gray bearing down upon them.

Dick wondered if the Invincibles were there before him.

Second thought told him that it was unlikely, as the advancing troops were infantry, and he knew that the Invincibles were now mounted.
"Now, lads," said Colonel Winchester, going down the ranks, "ready with your rifles!" The Southern infantry came on to the steady beating of a drum somewhere, but as they drew near the fort a sheet of bullets poured upon them, and drove them back, leaving the ground sprinkled with the fallen.
Again and again they reformed and returned to the charge always to meet the same fate.
"Brave fellows!" exclaimed Warner, "but they can't retake this fort from us!" After the last repulse Colonel Winchester drew out his men, mounted them, and charging the infantry in flank sent them far down the road toward Winchester, where heavy columns came to their support.