Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 2.djvu/372

 Battle of Winchester, where it won especial distinction. When the fortunes of the day seemed to be going against the Union army, after the Nineteenth Corps and a part of the Sixth had been overwhelmed and thrown into a disorderly retreat, the Confederates advanced steadily with yells of triumph and a constant roll of murderous musketry. It was the bloodiest, darkest and most dramatic moment of the day. Through the midst of hopeless confusion, when all seemed lost, Captain William T. Rigby of the Twenty-fourth Iowa was observed leading a sergeant and twelve men, all marching in perfect order toward the assigned rallying point. “Captain, you are not going to retreat any further, I hope?” said Bradbury, of the first Maine Battery. “Certainly not,” said Rigby. “Halt! Front! Three cheers!” and the little band cheered loudly. It was the first note of defiance that broke the desperate monotony of the panic; it gave heart to every one who heard it and made an end of retreat on that part of the field. In a few moments a battalion of men from a dozen regiments had rallied around the brave little band, supporting Captain Bradbury, who had opened with two guns of his battery on the advancing enemy. Inspired by the sight, soldiers rallied by the hundreds, our shattered lines were reformed and the disorderly retreat ended. A heavy fire of musketry was now poured into the ranks of the exultant Confederates, which compelled them to halt. Regiment after regiment of Union soldiers was hastily reformed; our second line advanced and gained the lost ground amid terrible slaughter. All along the lines our men had rallied and the order was given to charge. With loud shouts of defiance the soldiers rushed to the attack, and the tide of battle was turned. The enemy gave way before the impetuous charge; the lines were broken by the terrible onset, and the whole Confederate army melted into a routed, disorganized mass of fleeing men, sent whirling up the valley pursued by Crook’s cavalry. Three thousand prisoners