The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-09-10 00:00:00

RAINING DON

There was a rain of Prussian and IS tvarlan bombs ripen the
town. epee with terspied 'deem, who hod hitt no time Ms
°scene. The troops manta° had teen ft. hting without food
alma; the morning, and there were no resources within the
city to meet their wants. They were in an angry and Weide
mood, upbraiding their ofiletm, mutinous, and every shell
that fell ireressed the end of their spirit. Ti one of many
win now reserved a treat mission. A shell fell into
a we.rebouse or mlnuf aotor iii which was stored some tu-
gainnalsle material. A vast volusue of fl ens rushed fir
a moment Into the air, and a volume of thick white smoke
with towered era spread nut so as to oversha.low half the
city gave rise to the apprehension out one such, anti expecta-
tion on the other teat some central Inain-Zine had goto up.
hut no noise ensued. Still, at the moment the rtt,lve was
taken that Sedan and all that it contained 'bosh% he phseed
lit the power of the victor, in the lolls( that it wan impersii•le
to resist with any prospect hut that of ruin, complete, how-
ever lingering.
"KIT rEMBERTON I sEAD !"

As I am writing this there CJIMB news which I hope to not
true. It is of the loss of aft loud of one who eagerly pi seised
tote employed in your service. and who has in licit service
list his life in the field. I call sc :icily proceed. Perhaps,
before there lines etch you, the teleeraph will have broken
the Intelligence to those to whom the blow will be terrible.
My last words were to warn him that he witi net to seek
danger, and that in the capacity In which he was then engaged
IL wee his Mundell duty not to rum risks. It is now live
o'clock, and C lionel Walker, in reply loss inquiry, caused
by a run 00000 r I hut heard, hoe written to say that the Crown
Prince of Silicon!, inborn. 0 Lint. 7'he ion's' C.dr.iprialear,
uter sot Colonel Pemberton, was killed by his sloe Miring
the battle, by a bullet. I am so chocked and wkei d,
will also be at rio y isocide ha a stadia man ever had amen
they hoer it, by this ;,e *a, that elite access of duty nepels
Use 1i.e0111.11.13 nip narrative. Had he fallen for his country
In battle it would have been sone eon...dation ku thesehe bag
lat to mourn Ills fate Clicertul, witty, full of life, smut,
:yid Went, he hat met the death he, AiPme all deaths, wield
have soldier's. "Kit Pemberton !" I fancy
how these words will ay through ninny on English home. I
have written to the 1;rOnli Niece of nixony, and will MI to
have In,, ri.szing-place properly maned, or obtain bCIIIO C:UO
to its

The following extra,ts are from the letter 4.4 the
Colotel Pemberton attn.], d to above, and will po.eas
a melancholy interest, as being probably one of the loot
he ever wrote:—

LIKE ONE OF VERNET.S DEAD WARRIORS!

Soon we came upon firankentili4er,"Cirryiug back th9ir
ghastly loads, anti each of the various little wisps of Moe,
which were coiled up in every de:crihahle shape and torsi,
represented what a few minutts previouslY had 11.0001 W
gmatit.h. Ida which wns now '•ii,43o, Ilahs
'Md. sin statacht On JO' One h' trick flit; lie
&mut ii, mid wilt called 14 ForhitrAt," or cosign. lie
was lying with 1114 bWofli ill WY regbi hound, pointing toward,
the enemy, haring fallen no his right side, and must bare
died iasiantly, IV the left hand groping his lett side told too
plainly where the fa: al bullet bad strock him. Ile had hisgloves
on, which first attracted my attention, and his lace, which
was tarred upwards, betrayed imue a the emotions that it
magi have exhibited IQ the bullet struck hint la he looked

svrapS in the softest slumber. It was like one
Vernet% dead warriors; and, indeed,! have been able more
fully to appreciate that admirable painter of battle pieces
than! did betore. for I have over aid over again recognized
positions ire the dela which I had previously !ambled over-
done on his canvas. I was during can part of the action
standing near some Unman sets, vein in reserve. The sun
was pouring its rays open as, and around us on every side
lay the wounded. One poor fellow cried to them for
water—'• Comrade, for God's sake, give ine water! one little
drop. lam Oil fire, I non Ore! tor God's sake give me but
one drop; only wet my line!" and Another near him could
only hold bb hands up in prayer and point to his lips. A
got d-dstured Hussar, touched by the appeal, got oil his hnree
and ran to them with Ms waterheitle ; he was in the act of
raising the man's head when a shell fell within a yard and,
bursting, bite, the whole three to atoms. Whatever that poor
II ussar's faults in this world may have been, surely his last
kind action must atone for them in ecirce way?

"• •ot