Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1847-06-29

blazing volcano in the midnight Heavens.
Noiseiess and swift, the fearless patriots
Kept on their way, when !o as they came
to the marsh, they saw only smooth
sheet OF water--the tide was up flooding
the whole ground; the brave fellows
paused moment. as this new and unex.
pected obstacle crossed their path, but at
the stern forward of their leaders. thew
/ boldly plunged in, and without drum or
! bugie note to cheer their steady courage.
moved on In dead silence straight on the
palisades. The noise had now alarmed
the sentinels, and the rapid discharge of
their muskets through the gloom was fol-
lowed by lights moving swiftly about Ola
the ramparts, and hurried shouts of so
arms! TO Grasp and the fierce roll of
drums, rousing up the garrison from its
dream of security. The next moment
that dark rock was one mass Of fame, as
the artillery and musketiy opened along
its sides, shedding Iurid light on the
countenances of the men below and 'Ad.
unnce! AdrGncep rung in startling accents
along the ranks.
"the ramparts were alive with SOL
diers, and amid shouts and hurried words
OF command, the fiery torrents from the
summit kept on these devoted men. The
water around them was driven into spray
by the grape shot and balls thai fell in an
incessant shower, while the Kissing, bur
sting shells traversing the air in every d.
rectlon, added inconceivable terror 10 the
scene. Yet these fororn hopes toiled
vigorously on, and heaved away OF the
Gd6GttaS to open gap for the column,
that, without returning a shot, stood and
crumbIed under the fire, waiting with
fixed bayonets to rush to the assault. At
the head of one of these was Wayne,
chatting like lion in the tolls, at the OBJ
stacies that arrested his progress. The
torlorn hope in front of him, worked
steadily Oh in the very blaze of the bat
teries, and the rapid blows of th sir axes
were heard in the intervals ofthe thu der
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 stood up unharmed.-
Yet still 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 tuInult, summoning his followers
on. With fixed bayonets they marched
sterniy through the portals made at such
noble sacrifice and pressed furiously for
ward--through the morass-over every
obstacie-up TO the very mouths of the
cannon, and up the rocky activity, they
stormed on crushing everything in their
passage. Towering al the head of his
shattered column, pointing still onward
and upward, with his glittering blade, and
ndiDg his thrilling shout back over his
followers, Wayne strobe steadily up the
height, till at length struck in the head by
musket ball, he fell backward amid
the ranks. Instantly rising on one knee
he cried ost-'March on! carry me into
the fort, for will die at the head of my
column! And those heroes put their
brave arms around him and bore him on.
Not shot was fired, but taking the rap
id volleys on their unshrinking breasts,
their bayonets glittering in the flash oil
the enemy,s guns. they kept on over the
living and the dead, shifting down the
veteran ranks that threw themselves in
vain valor before them, till they reached
the centre ofthe fort. where they met the
other column, which, over the same OBJ.
stacles, 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
Haunted away on the midnight air. The
thick volumes of smoke that lay around |
that rock, slowly lifted and rolled up the
Hudson, the stars appeared once more in
the sky, and all was over. the lordly
river went sweeping by as it had done
during the deadly strife that cast such
baIeful light on its bosom, and darkness,
and death. like silence. shrouded the
shores. Mournfully and slow those for
lorn- hopes and their brave companions
who had fallen in the assault, were bro't
up from their CORY beds and conveyed to
the grave.
"Wayne's wound proved not to be se-
vere-the ball only having grazed the
skull for two inches. and he lived TO wear
the laurels grateful nation placed on his
brow. The country rung with his name
and Congress presented him with gold
medal. The whole plan of the assault
was most skillfully laid, and the bearing
OF Wayre, throughout was gallantin the
extreme. He chose the post of danger
at the head of his column. and led his men
where even the bravest might shrink to
follow, and when struck and apparently
dying, heroically demanded to be carried
forward, that he might die in the arms of
victory, or be left where the last stand
was made. His troops were worthy Of
such leader, and more gallant officers