The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1855-05-02
q &ealltitudTale,
The two Pictures.
BY COATES KINNEY.
Battle of Inkermann!

Battle Of Inkermann!
:, AS the day came up, struggling with the
gloom of clouds, the vanguard had given
alarm Of that onslaught, which before this
day was done should make Inkermann sec.
ond only to Waterloo. Through the foggy,
drizzly dark, had burst the bare of bugles,
and drums and flies, and rattling muskery;
and the transition from sleep to battle had
been transient interval of CONSERVATION
of cowardice, however, but Of sudden sur
prise.
To arms! To the summohing martial mu-
sic-drums, whose hurried roll, and flies,
whose thrilling shrek make the blood beat
and surge In the veins--to the glorious mar
tial 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 riders, sweep over the field and along
the lines, bearing the hoarse, loud command;
and quick as thought there followed char
ges, and evolutions, and sublime prepurn-
tions for blood.
o! the battle Of fnkermann would have
been splendid sight to see in broad field
and bright sun. But the nature of the
ground and the darkness of the day, rem
dered it impossible to take in more than
small scene Of the grand and terrible drama
at one view. Many heroic deed was per-
formed that day, in obscure and solitary
places, that left no record but death. Ii
you found, in some gloomy glen, a flush
harvest of carnage-corpses lying thick as
the sheayes after the sickles--you knew
there had been great achievements there;
but they will not llumine the pages of his
tory; for their memory sleeps in the burial
trenches 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 England, to the camp and the field.
He was an officer in the Fifth Dragoons! !!
and as we have an interest in him now, let
us watch the performance Of the Fifth on
that day Of Inkermann.
Is it not they, yonder on the hight! Let
us get nearer them for this dismal day is so
like twilight that we cannot distinguish the
figure on their buttons. Yes, it s5. What
noble fellowsi How proudly they sit on
their horses! With what an air Of impa-
tience they lean forward as the battles din
increases! How their nostrils dilate with
the delay ef opportunity. | .s. HI
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 a locket min
iature which he has just drawn from his boz
som! That is he, and the miniature is Of
the name would choke his utterance If he
attempted to speak it; for he is thinking of
the time--not many months ago; but oh,
how long giAwhen the original of that pic.
ture sobbed on his breast, and clung to him
with loys's desperation, kissing him with
mos. passioned kisses, and pleading with
him in Gods name not TO go--oh. not go!
His lips quiyers, he brushes his hand
across his eyes; he closes the locket and
replaces Il in his bosom. II he were not
agonizingly prayed for with her every breath,
Of whom he is now thinking, we would say,
b God! let him not sink on the battle field
to-day! set' y ~ N sa sesa
The Fifth had los. most Of their infantry