The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1857-09-02

night framed determined face. surroun
ded by small cap, glittering with sin
gle golden tasssl. The young warrio
bestrode magnificent charger, broad j,
the chest, small in the head, delicate il
each slender limb, and with the nostri
quivering rs though they shot forth let
OF name. That steed was as black a.
death.
Without s word tho soldier turned tt
his men.
Elghty-fouE forms, with throats anc
breasts bare, eighty-four battle horses
elghty-four sabres, that rose in the clutcI
ofnaked arms, and flashed their lightnipo
over eighty-four faces, knit in every fea
ture with battle fire.
"Men, follow" shouted the vouno
commander, who had been created 5
soldier by the hand of Andrew jackson,
as his tall form rose in the strrups, and
the battle breeze played with his long
black hair.
There was no response in words, but
you should have seen those horses culver
beneath the spur, and spring and launch
away. Down upon the sod with one ter
ribls beat came the sound of their hoofs
while through the air rose in glitterino
circles those battle scimetars. .
Four yards in front rode MAY, himself
and horse the object of thousand eyes,
so certain was the death that doomed be-
fore HIM; proudly in his warrior beauty
he rode that steed, his hair floating from
beneath his cap in raven curs upon tn ,
wind.
He turns his hoad-his ucn see his
face with stern lip and knit; they feel the
fire of his eyes; they hear-not .'men for
ward" but linen, follow p and away, Ike
an immense battle engine composed of
eighty four men and horses, woven to-
gether by swords away and on they
dash.
They are near the ravine; old TAYLOR
follows them, with hushed breath, ave,
clutching his sword hit, he sees the gold
en- tassel Of May cleaning in the cannon
flash.
They are on the verge of tho ravine, May
still in front, his charger flinging the
earth from beneath him, with colossal
leaps, when from among the cannon, starts
up half-clad figure, rod with blood and
begrimmed with powder
1t is Ridgley, who o-day has sworn to
wear the mantle of Ringgold. and to wear
it well. At once his eyes catch the light
now blazing in the eyes of May, and
springing to the cannon, he shouts:
"One moment, my comrado! and I
will draw their fire."
The word is not passed from his lips
when his cannon speak out to the battery
across the ravine. His flash, his smoke
have not gone, but bark Did You hear
that storm of copper balls clatter against
his cannon, did you sec them dig the
earth beneath the hoofs Of May. squad
ron.
"Men, follow~ Do you see that face
cleaning with battle fire, that scimctar
cutting its glittering circle through the
air. Those mon can hold their shouts no
longer. Rending the cir with cries.
Hark The whole army echo them They
strike their spurs, and worried into mad
ness, their horses whirl on and thunder
away to the deadly rayine.
The old man Taylor, said after the bat
tie, that he never felt his heart beat as it |
did then.
For it was glorious sight TO see that
young man May, Mt the head of his squad
ron, dashing across the ravine, four yards
in advance of his foremost man, while
long and dark behind him stretched the
solid line of warriors and their steeds
Through the windows of the clouds
some CLEANS of sunlight fall, they light
the golden tassel on the cap, they glitter
on the appraised sword, they illumine the
dark horse and his rider with their warm
glow, they reveal the battery, you see it,
above the further bank of the ravine,
death from every muscle.
Near and nearer, up and on! Never
heed the death before you, though it is
certain. Never mind the leap, though it
is terrible. But up the bank and over the
cannon, hurrah! At this dread moment
Just as his horse rises for the charge, May
turns and sees the sword of the brave Inge
On his right, turns again and reads his
own soul written in the fire of Sackets
,ye.
To his mon once more he turns, his
1air floating back behind him, he points
o the cannon, to the steep bank and the
certain death, and as though inviting
hem, one and all, to his bridal feast, he
'ays, t9s 8a2
"Come."
They did come. It would have made
your blood dance to see it. As one man
hey whirled up the bank, following Mays
word as they would banner, and strik-
ng manly home, as they heard, through
he roar Of battle they heard it, that word
# frenzy, "Come." i
As one mass of barred chests, leaping
lorses and dazzling scimetars, they char
ed upon the bank; the lannon's fire
ushed into their faces; Inge, even as his
hout rang on the air, was laid rnangled
hing beneath his horse, and seven dra-
,oons fell at the bAttery's muzzlcs, thor
lood and brains wEirling into their COM
AIDES eyes.
Still Nav IN wonder above the cloud