The Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1852-1853, 1853-09-21

reach OF me when he fell: this second one
was big, black bearded fellow. He came
on, with his white teeth set and his sword
raised, and as his horse half pulled up to
jump over the dead one in front Of me,
thrust the bayonet of my piece into its chest
up the muzzle. The poor beast never rose
to the leap, but its fore legs seemed to double
under it, and it rolled over the dead horse,
carrying he to the ground before it, and
falling heavy on its rider ] was on my
legs again immediately, tuggiDg at my mus
ket to get it Oh. of the carcase, but as ill-luck
would have it, the bayonet had got crossed,
Or as l thought, jammed among the bones
somehow, aud in the hurry of the moment
l didn't free it. l was quite defenceless,
and thought it was all over with me when
The third one galIoped up and reached me
this cut across the face. | gave another
departing tug at my musket, but with no
better success; it felt as if fzed in vice;
when the Frenchman gave me his second a
cross the arm here. Half blinded with
blood, and feeling savage as tiger, quilted
my piece, turned round, and sprang at him,
trying to close and grapple with him or his
horse, | didn't know which, when felt the
point OF his long sword among my ribs, and
that's a sensation that brings a man down
at once. All this didn'ttake longer in do
ing than l've taken in telling it. When |
Iell, the Frenchman gallOped off. / dare
say thinking that he had settled my accounts
out and out, and | wasn't sure about that
same myself at first. But although hurt
severely. | was not quite helpless yet |
lay on The ground for some time, faint and
Slddy, but graduIly getting better, stag
sered to my feet again in timeto get out
OF the way for a regiment of our own cayal-
ry that passed at quick trot. felt weak,
but had all my wits abou: me; and binding
up the wound in my arm the way | could
with my handkerchief, l set about torecov-
er my muskct, and by pulling in the right
direction it came out easily enough. The
second cuirassier stillay groaning or swear
ing, with his left leg under the horse; /
think his leg must have been broken in the
fall, or he would have been able to olsen
entangIe himself, but did not think of that
at the time. When he saw me recover my
weapon, he made fresh efforts to free him.
self, and began To speak fast, asking for
mercy or quarter, as | supposed. His face
was pitiEul enough now; but recolIected it
looking very different, and iclt savage and
thirsty for his brood. "Iou shall have the
kind mercy you and your comrades wan
ted to show me, " said |, and | put tha bay
onet through his neck. | shall never for /
get the look he gave me as | did it. When
In the hospital afterwords, all through many
4 long teYerlsh night, | fancied L saw his
upturhed eyes looking at me from the
ground at my bedside. L felt | was doing
wrong as the bayonet was passing through
hln, tor he was dIsarmed and hel pless in
my hands; but he was dead before | could
wish it undone; and God forgive me if l
wasn't justified in taking his life
81 went back to poor Joe Waskins af
ter this, and found him quite dead. He
lay on bis face, poor fellow, with one arm
over his head slf h. was fast asleep. |
thoughtthe dragons had rfddenjoyer him,
but if they did, they hadn't touched him as
he lay. L looked at him for the last time
and fastened away to join my regiment IT,
possible, and ifnot, to get to the rear as well
as | could; but had not gone far when my
slddlness got the better of me: stood hold
ing on by broken Sun-calriage some time
and then tainted. A corporal of the 9th
was sitting beside me when [ came too u
gain; he had been wounded himself, and
was passing to the rear, when he recognised
me and sloPpeG. lie told me the battle was
over and the French beaten out of the field, |
He vent away promising to send two men
to help me in; and was as good as his word,