Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1841-11-30
THE YOUNG VOLUNTEER.
Y cHARLEs P. ILsLEY.

CHAPTER. l.
Died as the soldier joys to die,
When the banner he follows is waving high
And from voices, whose tones he remem-
bers well
Loudly the cheers triumph swell,
Till victory'u shout on the free breeze floats
He hath caught the sound. mid the wild war
notes,
-One flash Of hope his eye grows dim -
The land hehath served vii remember him!
On the 27th of August, l776, a battle
took place on Long Island, between the
American and English forces, in which
owing 10 a superiority of number. discip-
line and ground, the latter trlumphed =
The Americans were obliged 10 retire to
their works at Brooklyn, afer sustaining
loss of upward OF thousand men. Ga
the nigh. of the 2sth, under the itnmedi.
ale command of w aShngton, ey effect
ed mastery retreat over East River TO
York Island.
The village of Brooklyn is on small pc
EIinsal0, where the Americans had taken
strong position.-Their encampment
| fronted the main land of the island. Di-
recily in trout Of the camp was a range Of
| nils, covered with thick woods, which ex
tended from east TO west,nearly the length
of The island, and across which were three
roads leading to Brooklyn ferry.
1t was on the evening of the 9th or 10Th
September, small boat might have been
seen propelled by single oarsman,cross-
ing East river from New York. 1t was
about 9o'clock and the low mist hung like
a siivery veil over the waters on Long Is.
land side, which, on the boats entering
soon enveloped her in its delicate fold
About Two hours after this, on one of the
roads leading 10 Brooklyn ferry, through
! Bedford, where part of the British for.
ces were encamped, 10 Flatbush, an indi
vidual might have been seen, in the plain
garb ola Yankee farmer, walking careless
" towards the hills. There was nothing
in his appearance differing from that O
: the generality Of countrymen, save, per.
haps, occasionally his bearing would BE-
/, more lofty than We usually observe in the
class of persons TO which he seemingly be
onged.
! Ii was bright moonlight night, ant
when the individual just named had reach
ed the top of the hill, he seated himself OF
the trunk of fallen tree; in musing at
titude. From whence he sal he coul(
: overlook the adjacent country. A fin,
white mist had settled down on the village
of Bedford, hiding the encampment Q
the British from his sight; but the voic,
, of The sentinel as he told the hour ofnight
with the cry of"All's well?"-came faint
I, " 10 his ear. The midnight hour hal
/. been announced, when the stranger aros
: slowly from his seat and in a low VOC
said-sWhat not later that 12l Four lon
hours ere the dawn-how slowly the nigh
/, wears away!" Then, after a pause, h
: added with great solemnity-- "But VIII
chide its tardiness--a few short hours ma
be all that is allotted to me-the comm
day may witness my dea,h: IT'S not tn
giving Of life | dread-willingly would
: Law il down in the battle field--dle so
dlcr's death-surrounded by my bray
: comrades! No, mott is not death that
= fear, but the manner of dying-oh God
IS to be strung up like a felon--to die ii
le death of a y! My chieftain-my counts
You have asked much ofme-the sacIifit
n is great-almost TOO gseat! YET he col
!. tinued with determ d energy-"thoue
Al double denh were required The object
worthy of them!'
- There was manliness and dignity
1e the expression ofhis countenance, and
he the bright glance Of the young man, VIII
% he uttered these words, as he now sto
= proudly up in the consciousness Of the st
10 vice he was rendering his beloved count
to that constrasted with his previous appel
= ance. Instead Of the Indifferent shuffii
NE gait Of the farmer, he now paced bac
us ward and forwardwith military step.
no was apparently OF the age oftwenty- {
sh. possessing a fine form, and count'
CSC ance strikingly noble and open. 1t y
viz apparent from all his actions, that he !
m on service repuQnant to his nature,