Surry of Eagle's-nest; or, The memoirs of a staff-officer serving in Virginia . eft, and at the next moment a scouting partyof Federal cavalry, moving on the flank of their column, appearedin the road. Halt! was the quick order of the ofiicer at their head, aswe darted off. A sudden volley succeeded ; and the carbine balls whistledaround. !No response followed the order to halt—then was heard thefurious clash of hoofs behind us. The cavalry Avasin hot pursuit. In five minutes they were so close that I heard the heavybreathing of their horses. Halt! halt! came again, accompanied by a volley of
Surry of Eagle's-nest; or, The memoirs of a staff-officer serving in Virginia . eft, and at the next moment a scouting partyof Federal cavalry, moving on the flank of their column, appearedin the road. Halt! was the quick order of the ofiicer at their head, aswe darted off. A sudden volley succeeded ; and the carbine balls whistledaround. !No response followed the order to halt—then was heard thefurious clash of hoofs behind us. The cavalry Avasin hot pursuit. In five minutes they were so close that I heard the heavybreathing of their horses. Halt! halt! came again, accompanied by a volley of impre-cations from the ofiicer behind. I replied by firing at him, but without striking him. It was now obvious that, unless we left the road, we wouldinevitably be captured, and I said as much to the General. Well, was his brief response, in the quick, curt tone whichcharacterized him, let us leave it. Shall we try that stone wall, General ? Yes. I cleared the wall, and the General followed, receiving a vol-ley as he rose to the leap. We had got over, and were in a field;. s Ul< o LJI/) o init:o< Ul O A NIGHT ADVENTURE. 189 but the wall was instantly torn down, and the whole detach-ment scrambled over, and pressed forward as hotly as before. All at once a by-road, leading into the woods, appeared infront, and we struck into this at a headlong gallop. Halt! who goes there I suddenly cried a voice in front,which I recognized as Ashbys. Friends! ^- And, reaching his side, I pointed to the Federal cavalry abouttwo hundred yards behind. Ashby recognized the General, nnderstood all at a glance, and,by a movement as quick as thought, drew up his small escort onthe side of the road, beneath the shadow of the trees. The next moment the Federal cavalry thundered by, and, astheir rear passed him, gave the ringing order : Charge! A volley was poured into the Federal detachment, throwingthem into the wildest disorder—Ashby charged them sabre inhand—and in three minutes t
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