"Why, our boys, your honor, our boys, and the British right after them."
"Impossible!" exclaimed Washington, and he galloped to a hill just ahead. To his amazement and dismay, he saw his men retreating. He lost not an instant, but, putting spurs to his horse, dashed forward. After him flew the officers who had been riding by his side, but they could not overtake him. His horse, covered with foam, shot down the road over a bridge and up the hill beyond. The retreating column saw him come. The men knew him; they stopped; they made way for the splendid-looking man, as he, their leader, rode headlong into the midst of them. Lee was there, ordering the retreat, and Washington drew his rein as he came upon him. A moment of terrible silence—then Washington burst out, his eyes flashing:
"What, sir, is the meaning of this?"
"Sir, sir," stammered Lee.
"I desire to know, sir, the meaning of this disorder and confusion?"
Lee, enraged now by Washington's towering passion, made an angry reply. He declared that the whole affair was against his opinion.
"You are a poltroon!" flashed back Washington, with an oath. "Whatever your opinion may have been, I expected my orders to be obeyed."
"These men can not face the British grenadiers," answered Lee.
"They can do it, and they shall!" exclaimed Washington, galloping off to survey the ground. Presently he came back; his wrath had gone down in the presence of the peril to the army. He would waste no strength in cursing Lee.
"Will you retain the command here, or shall I?" he asked. "If you will, I will return to the main body and have it formed on the next height."