True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1855-04-24
THE TWO PICTURES.
BATTLE OF INKERMANN.
BY coArEs-KINNEY.

As the day came up struggling with the
gloom of clouds, the vanguard had given
alarm of that onslaught, which before the
day was done, should make InkermSnn Sec
ond only to Waterloo. Through the fog
gy drizzly dark, had burst the blasts of bu-
giles, and drums, and fifes, and rattling mus
kerry; and the transition from sleep to
battle had been transient interval ofcon
sternation: not the CONSERVATION of COW.
ardice, however, but of sudden surprise.
To arms To the summoning martial
music-drums whose hurried roll, and tifes
whose thrilling shrieks, make the blood beat
surge in the veins-to the glorious martial
music, man after man, column after col
umn, company after company, they wheel
into array. Swiftly and nightly, as though
hurled by the power Of thunder, horse and
plumed rider sweep over the field, and along
the lines, bearing the hoarse, oud COM
mand and quick as thought there follow
charges and evOlutions, and sublime prep
arations for blood
Oh |! the battle of Inkermann would
have been asplendid sight to see in broad
field and a bright sun. But the nature Of
the ground, and the darkness of the day,
rendered it impossible to take in more than
a small scene Of the grand and terrible dra-
ma at one view. Many heroic deed was
performed that dayin obscure and solitary
places, that left no rOsSrd but death. Il
you found. in some gloom glen, flush
harvest of carnage-corpse lying thick as
sheaves after the sickles-you know there
had been great achievements there but
they will not illume the pages of history,
for their memory sleeps in the burial trench
es with those who died enacting them.
Thirst of glory, such as is slaked by
blood, had lured young Cecil Gray from
his happy home in old England, to the
camp and the field. He was an officer in
the fifth Dragons !; and as we have an in
terest in him now, let us watch the per-
formance of the fifth, on that day of In
hermann.
Is it not they, yonder on the height2-
Let us go nearer them; for this dismal day
is so like twilight that we cannot distin-
guish the figure on their buttons. Yes, it
is five. What noble fellows! How proud
ly they sit on their horses With an air
of impatience they lean forward, as the bat
ties din increases How their nOstrils di-
late with the delay of opportunity!
Which of them is Cecil Gray? Do you
see yonder at the right, that tall, noble
young officer, who is gazing with looks
of unspeakable tenderness, upon locket
miniature which he has just drawn from
his bosom? That is he; and the minia-
ture is of-the name would choke his ut
terance, if he attempted to speak it; for he
is thinking Of the time mot many months
ago, but oh how long when the original
of that picture sobbed on his breast, and
clung to him with loves desperation, kis-
sing him with the most impassioned kisses,
and pleading with him in Gods name not
to go-oh, not to gol
His lip quiyers; he closes the locket and
replaces it in his bosom. If he were not
agonizingly prayed for with her every
breath, of whom he is now thinking we
would say, oh God! let him not sink on
the battlefield to-day w
The Fifth has lost most of their infan'
try in the beginning Of the battle; for the
Turkish foot, their main support, had fed
at the 6rst onset; and there remained t.
them now only aSmall division Of the High
landers, number quite insufficient to sus
tain them. Yet, as the cannons Numbered
and the muskcts hailed the death around
the brave fellows felt it like a shame to 81
there idle while their comrades were win
ming glory and every moment they grev
more eager, even without the support of in
fantry, for an occasion to act
Hark the tramp Of cavalry Ever.
rein is tightened, and every horseman'
breath is quilted with expectation u
they come at a fierce gallOp, as though the,
meant to sweep the, height clear at a singl
pass. 1t Is the Muscovites! Their heav,
rushing bilowsof horse, dash full upol
the Highlanders, andare shocked back b
y the shore Of bayonets. They rally, an
advance more slowly and determincdly.
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