About two hours after noon
For several hours the fight continued with a bitterness that had not been paralleled before in the whole course of the war . Again and again the enemy attacked , only to be beaten back before the stonewall defense . But the Americans were not satisfied with merely defending their position . About two hours after noon they organized a counterattack . With splendid vim and ardor , and in a dashing charge , they smashed the division confronting them , driving them back in confusion and bringing hundreds of prisoners back with them to the trenches . `` I guess that will hold them for a while , '' crowed Billy , as they rested for a few minutes after their return . `` We certainly slashed them good and plenty , '' exulted Frank , as he washed up a scratched shoulder that had been struck by a splinter of shrapnel .