The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1848-08-30
THE BATTLE OF DUNBAR.
BY THOMAS CARLYLE.

The soldiers stand to their arms, or lie
within instant reach of their arms, all night
being upon an engagement very difficult
indeed The night is wild and wet I'D of
September means 18th by our calendar: the
Harvest Moon wades deep among clouds Of
sleet and hail. Whoever has a heart for
prayer, let him pray now, for the wreste CT
death is at hand. Pray,-and withal keep
his powder dry And be ready for eXtrem-
tiles, and quit himself like man Thus they
pass the night; making that Dunbar PENN
sua and Brock Rivulet long memorable to
me. We English have some tents; the
Scots have none. The hoarse sea means
bodeful, swinging low and heavy against
these whinstone bays; the sea and the tenn
pests are abroad, all elfe asleep but we,-and
there is One that rides on the wings Of the
wind.
Towards three in the morning the Scotch
foot, by order of Majo General say some,
extinguish their matches, all but two in a
company: cover under the corn-shocks,
seeking some impelf feet shelter and Sleep
Be wakeful, We English; watch, and pray,
and keep your powder dry. About four
o'clock comes order to my puddingheaded
Yorkshire friend, that his regiment must
mount and march straightway; his and vari-
GUS other regiments march, pouring swiftly to
the left to Brocksmouth House, to the Pass
over the Brock. With overpowering force
let us storm the Scots right wing there; beat
that, and all is beaten. Major Hodgson rid
ing along, heard, lie says, "a Cornet praying
in the night a company Of poor men, |
think, making worship there, under the void
Heaven, before battle joined Major Hodg-
son, giving his charge to a brother Officer,
turned aside to listen for minute, and
worship and pray along with them; haply his
last prayer on this Earth, as it might prove to
be. But no. this Cornet prayed with such
ef1'usion as was wonderful; and impaired
strength to my Yorkshire friend, who strength
encd his men by telling them oft And tie
Heavens, in their mercy, think: have open
ed us a way of deliverance The Moon
CLEANS out, hard and blue, riding among
hail-clouds; and over to st. Abb's Head,
streak of dawn is rising.
And now is the hour when the attack
should be, and no Lambert is yet here, he is
ordering the line far to the right YETI and
Oliver occasionally, in Hodgson's hearing, is
impatient for him. The Scots too, on this
wing, are awake. thinking to surprise us
there is their trumpet sounding, we heard it
once and Lambert, who was to lead the at
tack, is not here. The Lord General is i'm
patient ;-bchold Lambert at last The
trumpets peal, shattering with fierce clangor
Nights silence the cannons awaken along
all the line: The Lord of Hosts The
Lord of Hosts" On, my brave ones; on -
The dispute 'on this right wing was hot
and stiff, for three quarters of an hour
Above three thousand were killed upon the
place ! never saw such charge OF foot
and horse SAYS one; nor did L. Oliver was
still near to Yorkshire Hodgson when the
shodk succeeded; I1odgson heard hun say,
@ They run! l profess they run!" And
over St. Abb's Head and the German Ocean
inst then burst the first CLEAN of the level
SIM mon us, 'and | heard Mol say, in the
words of the Psalmist, Let God arise, let
His enemies be scatteredw
Even so. The Scotch army is shivered to
utter ruin rushes in tumultuous wreck, hith-
~ thither; to Bolhaven, or, in their destrac-
ion, even to Dunbar; the chase goes as far
Is Haddington led by Hacder. The Lord
General made halt says Hodgson, and
ang the Hundrcd-and-seyen Psalm till
,ur horse could gather for the chase. Hun
Psalm, at the foot of the
Doom Hill there we uplift it, to the tune of
Bangor, or some still higher score, and roll it
trong and great against the sky;
o give We praise unto the Lord,
All nations that be;
Likewise We people all, accord
lie 70 mo iF-'