Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1847-06-10

KEEP, rolling on those devoted men. The
water around them was driven into spray by
the grape-shot and balls that fell in an IN
cessant shower, while the kissing, bursting
shells, lraversing the air In every direction,
added uncomfortable terror TO the scene
Ye, those (orIorn-hopes toled vigorously
on, and heaved away at the abattIs to open
a gap for the columns, that without return
| ING shot, stood and crumbled under the
fire, waiting with fixed bayoncts to rush to
the assault. At the head of one of these
was WAYNE, chatting like lion IN the tolls.
at the obstacles that arrested his progress
| The forlorn-hope in front of him worked
steadily on in The very blaze of the batteries.
and the rapid blows Of their axes were heard
in the intervals of the thunder of artillery
that shook the midnight air, while one after
another dropped dead in his footsteps, till
out of the twenty that started, only three
stoad up unframed. Yet stll their axes
fell steady and strong, until an opening was
made, through which the columns could
pass, and then the shout of Wayne was
heard above the din and tumult, summoning
his followers on. With fixed bayonets they
marched sternly through the portals made
at such noble sacrifice, and pressed furi-
ously forward. Through the morass-over
every obstacle-up to the very mouths OF
the cannon, and up the rocky ACTIVITY, they
stormed on, crushing everything in their
passage. Towering at the head of his shat
tered column, pointing still onward and up
ward with his glltering blade, and sending
his thrilling shout back over his followers,
Wayne strobe steadily up the height, till a!
length, struck in the head by musket-ball.
he fell backward amid the ranks. Instantly
rising on one knee, he cried out, 'MarcA
on carry me into the fort, for l wiU die al
the head Of mig column" And those heroes
put their brave arms around him and bore
him. onward. Not shot was fired, but
taking the rapid volleys on their unshrink-
ing breasts, their bayonets glitterng in the
fash of the enemy's guns, they kept on over
the living and the dead, sIIitETlg dUwu the
the'veteran ranks that threw themselves in
vain valor before them, till they reached the
centre of the fort, where they met the other
column, which, over the same obstacles, had
achieved the same triumph. At the sight
of each other, one loud shout shook the
heights and rolled down the bleeding line
was again sent back till the heavens rung
with the wild huzzas, and then the flag OF
freedom went up and and faunted proud
ly away on the midnight air. The thick
volumes of smoke that lay around that rock
slowly lifted and rolled up the Hudson, the
fbo cl- oil
was over. The lordly river went sweeping
by as it had done during the deadly strife
tina. cast such balefuI light on its bosom
and. darkness and death-like silence shroud.
ed the shores. Mournfully and slow those
forlorn-hopes and their brave companions
who had fallen in the assault, were brough
up from their CORY beds and conveyed to the
grave
Wayne's wound proved not to be severe
the ball having only grazed the sknll fol
two inches, and he lived to wear the laurel:
of grateful nation placed on his brow
The country wrung with his name, ane
Congress presented him with gold medal
The whole plan of the assault was mos
skilfully laid, and the bearing of Wayne
throughout gallant in the extreme. He chose
| the post of danger at the head Of his column
and led his men where even the braves
might shrink to follow, and when struck ant
apparently dying, heroically demanded te
be carried forward, that he might die in thu
arms of victory, or be left where the las
stand was made. His troops were worthy
of such a leader, and more gallant officer
never led men into battle. Their humani
| ty was equal to their bravery, for notwith
standing the barbarious massacres perpetra
ted by the English, they did not kill sin
gle man after he had asked for quarter
Eulogiums came pouring in upon him from
every direction. Even Lee. whom he hat
condemned for his conduct at the battle q
Mammoth, wrote to him saying, what an
going to say you will not, hope, conside
as paying my court in this your hour q
glory for it is at least my present inten
ton to leave this continent. can have n
interest in paying court to any individual
What shall say therefore is dictated by tn
genuine feelings of my heart. | do mos
sincerely declare, that your assault, of Ston,
Point is not the most brilliant in my opinio
throughout the whole course of the war OF
either side, but that ii is the most brilliant
am acquainted with in history; the assault
of Schweidniiz, by Marshal Landon, thin
inferior 10 it. wish you, therefore, mos
sincerely, JOY Of all the laurels You have de
servedly acquired, and that you may Ion
live to wear them Lafayette congratulate
him, and Benjamin Rush wrote him, saying
My dear sir, there in but one thing want
ing in your late successful attack upon Ston
Point to complete your happiness: and thu
is, the wound you received should have a
lected your hearing; for fear you will b
stunned through those organs with you
own praises. Our streets, for many day
rang with nothing but the name of Gener;