Charge!" And, placing himself at the head, he set spurs to his horse and dashed at the approaching enemy.
There was a fierce shock.

A horse and rider rolled over from the impetus of his charge, then he cut right and left; pistol shots rang out, and his horse fell beneath him, shot through the head, pinning his leg beneath it.
The fall saved his life, for four or five troopers had surrounded him, and in another moment he would have been cut down.

For a time, he ran great risk of being trampled upon, in the confusion which followed.

Then some of the troopers dismounted, he was dragged from beneath his horse, and found himself a prisoner.

He was placed in the centre of the troop, the only captive taken, for two of the six men had got safe away in the darkness and confusion, the other four had fallen.
The English, as he afterwards learned, had, immediately they arrived at Kilcowan, inquired where the Irish cavalry, who had taken part in the afternoon's fight, were quartered, and on hearing that they were but two miles away, the officer in command had forced one of the peasants to act as guide, and to take a party round, by a detour, so as to enter at the other end of the village, just as another party rode in by the direct road.
Walter was taken first to Kilcowan.