force upon the ridge whence the rebel cavalry have been driven, Garfield prepares for the impending battle. It is a trying and perilous moment. He is in the presence of a greatly superior enemy, and how to dispose his little force, and where first to attack, are things not easy to determine. But he loses no time in idle indecision.

Looking in the faces of his eleven hundred men, he goes at once into the terrible struggle. His mounted escort of twelve soldiers he sends forward to make a charge, and, if possible, to draw the fire of the enemy. The ruse succeeds admirably. As the little squad sweeps round a curve in the road, another shell whistles through the valley, and the long roll of nearly five thousand muskets chimes in with a fierce salutation. The battle has begun in earnest.

A glance at the ground will best show the real nature of the conflict. It was on the margin of Middle Creek, a narrow and rapid stream, and three miles from where it finds its way into the Big Sandy, through the sharp spurs of the Cumberland Mountains. A rocky road, not ten feet in width, winds along this stream, and on its two banks abrupt ridges, with steep and rocky sides, overgrown with trees and underbrush, shut closely down upon the narrow road and little streamlet. At twelve o'clock Garfield has gained the crest of the ridge at the right of the road, and the charge of his handful of horsemen has drawn Marshall's

fire and disclosed his actual position. It will be clearly seen from the subjoined diagram.

The main force of the rebels occupied the crests of the two ridges at the left of the stream, but a strong detachment was posted on the right, and a battery of twelve pieces held the forks of the creek and commanded the approach of the Union army. It was Marshall's plan to lure Garfield along the road, and then taking him between two enfilading fires, surround and utterly destroy him. But his hasty fire betrayed his design and unmasked his position.

Garfield acts with promptness and decision. A hundred undergraduates, recruited from his own college, are ordered to cross the stream, climb the ridge whence the fire had been hottest, and bring on the battle. Boldly the little band plunges into the creek, the icy water up to their waists, and clinging to the trees and underbrush, climb the rocky ascent. Half way up the ridge the fire of at least two thousand rifles open upon them, but springing from tree to tree, they press on, and at last reach the summit. Then suddenly the hill is gray with rebels, who, rising from ambush, pour their deadly volleys into the little band of only a hundred. For a moment there are signs of wavering, then their leader calls out: "Every man to a tree! Give them as good as brave Bereans!"

they send, my

The rebels, behind rocks and rude intrench

A Rebel Artillery, 6 and 12 pounders.

D Garfield's Reserve.

B

Ridge taken by the Ohio boys.

с

Ridge taken by Kentuckians under Monroe.

F

E Approach of Reinforcements under Col. Shelden, Road by which enemy retreated.

ments, are obliged to expose their heads to take aim at the advancing column, but the Union troops, posted behind the huge oaks and maples, can stand erect and load and fire fully protected. Though they are outnumbered ten to one, the contest is therefore for a time not so very unequal. But soon the rebels, exasperated with the obstinate resistance, rush from cover and charge upon the little handful with the bayonet. Slowly they are driven down the hill, and two of them fall to the ground. wounded. One never rises, the other, a lad of only eighteen, is shot through the thigh, and one of his comrades turns back to bear him to a place of safety. The advancing rebels are within thirty feet, when one of them fires, and his bullet strikes a tree directly above the head of the Union soldier. He turns, levels his musket, and the rebel is in eternity. Then the rest are upon him; but, zigzagging from tree to tree, he is soon with his driven column. But not far are the brave boys driven. A few rods lower down they hear the voice of their leader.

"To the trees again, my boys," he cries. "We may as well die here as in Ohio!"

To the trees they go, and in a moment the advancing horde is checked, and then rolled backward. Up the hill they turn, firing as they go, and the little band follows. Soon the rebels reach the spot where the Berean boy lies wounded, and one of them says to him: