Then he had a steadying word for the men of his company, and a
hearty shout and a curse for some of the Georgians who had cut around
the flanks of our main to come at their horses in the rear.
But the lad's assertion that our time was come was only a half
prophecy. The Marylanders, with the Virginians on either flank, stood
firm, giving the onrushing wave a shock that went near to breaking it.
But the British were better bayoneted than we, and when it came to the
iron our lads must needs give ground sullenly, fighting their way
backward as a stubborn assault fights its way inch by inch forward.
"Here come their reserves," said Dick, pointing with his blade to a
second red line forming in the farther vistas of the wood. "Lord! shall
we never get into it?"
'Twas just here that an order sent by Colonel Howard to his first
company, directing it to charge by the flank, came near costing us a
rout. The order was misunderstood,--'twas received at the precise moment
of the upcoming of the British reserves,--and the Marylanders fell back.
In the turning of a leaf our entire fighting front gave way, and what of
the Georgians there were left in the mellay made a frantic dash for the
horses.
At this crisis John Howard saved the day for us by shrewdly executing
the most difficult manoeuver that is ever essayed by a field officer in
the heat of battle. Suffering his men to drift backward until the enemy,
sure now of success, were rushing on in disorder to give the _coup de
grace_, he gave the quick command: "About face! Fire! Charge!"
I saw the volley delivered in the faces of the redcoats at pike's length
range; saw the Virginians on the flanks bend to encircle the enemy; saw
the rout transfer itself at the roar of the muskets from our side to the
recoiling British.
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