Dick began to shout with joy. He saw that the indomitable stand of
Sheridan was saving the whole Northern army from rout. The South must
continually turn aside troops to attack Sheridan, and they dared not
advance too far leaving him unbeaten in their rear. Rosecrans in the
center was urging his troops to a great resistance and the battle flamed
high there. It now thundered along the whole front. Nearly every man
and cannon were in action.

Dick was glad that chance had thrown his regiment with Sheridan, when he
saw the splendid resistance made by the young general. Sheridan massed
all his guns at the vital point and backed them up with riflemen.
Nothing broke through his line. Nothing was able to move him.

"He'll have to retreat later on," Colonel Winchester shouted in Dick's
ear, "because our lines are giving way elsewhere, but his courage and
that of his men has saved us from an awful defeat."

The battle in front of Sheridan increased in violence. The Confederates
were continually pouring fresh troops upon him, and it became apparent
that even he, with all his courage and quickness of eye at the vital
moment, could not withstand all day long the fierce attacks that were
being made upon him. The Southern fire from cannon and rifles grew more
terrible. Sheridan had three brigades and the commanders of all three of
them were killed. The Confederate attack had been repulsed three times,
but it was coming again, stronger and fiercer than ever.

Dick, aghast, gazed at Colonel Winchester and somehow through the thunder
of the battle he heard the colonel's reply: