recovered their former spirit, but at last they began to give way on

both flanks, and as these receded, Merritt and Custer went at the

wavering ranks in a charge along the whole front. The result was a

general smash-up of the entire Confederate line, the retreat quickly

degenerating into a rout the like of which was never before seen.

For twenty-six miles this wild stampede kept up, with our troopers

close at the enemy's heels; and the ludicrous incidents of the chase

never ceased to be amusing topics around the camp-fires of Merritt