Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1857-08-28


tude and decay, rung through the cham
Der. There is only one man who could
do it, and his name is Zachary Taylor"
1t was dark hour when this boy and
this General, both appointed at the sug-
gestion or by the voice of the Hermit
age, met in the battle of Resaca de la
Palma.
By the blaze of the cannon and be-
meath the canopy of battle smoke, we
will behold their meeting.
" Capt. May, you must take that bat
terry"
As the old man uttered these words he
pointed far across the rayine with his
sword. 1t was like the glare of a vol
cano-the steady blaze of that battery,
pouring from the darkness of the chap
paral.
Before him, summoned from the rear
by his command, rose the form Of g
splendid soldier, whose hair, waving in
long masses, swept his broad shoulders,
while his beard fell over his muscular
chest. Hair and beard as dark as mid
night, framed a determined face, sur
mounted by small cap, glittering with
a single golden tassel. The young war
rior bestrode a magnificent charger,
broad in the chest, small in the head, de-
licate in each slender limb, and with the
nostrils quivering as though they shot
forth Jets of fame. That steed was
black as death.
Without a word that soldier turned to
his men.
Eighty-four forms, with throats and
breasts bare, eighty-four battle horses
eighty-four sabres, that rose in the clutch
of naked arms, and flashed their light
ming over eighty-fOur faces, knit in every
feature with battle fire.
Men, followp' shouted the young
commander, who had been created sol
dier by the hand of jackson, as his tai
form rose in the stirrups, and the battle
breeze playing with his long black hair.
There was no response in words, bu
, you should have seen those horses quive-
beneath the spar and spring and launcl
away. Down upon the sod with on
, terrible beat came the sound of thei
hoofs, while through the air rose in gilt
tering circles those battle scimitars.
L Four yards in front rode May, him
self and his horse the object of a thou
e sand eyes, so certain was the death tha
loomed before him; proudly in his wal
e rior beauty he rode that steed, his hal
n floating from beneath his cap in rave
e curls upon the wind.
He turns his head-his men see h
L face with stern lips and knit brow the
feel the fire of his eyes they hear-nC
2, " Men, forward p' but Men, follow
le and away, like an immense battle engir
J. composed of eighty-four men and horse
s woven together by swords-away and {
ID they dash.
re They near the ravine old Tayl'
ne follows them with hushed breath, ay
IA cIutching his sword hilt, he sees the gol
lg en- tassel of May cleaning in the cannc
as flash.
to They are on the verge of the ravir
n May still in front, his charger finging t
lis earth from beneath him with collosI
leaps, when from among the cam
he starts up half clad figure, red w
ch blood and begrimmed with powder.
he cit is Ridgely, who to-day has swC
he to wear the mantle of Ringold, and
wear it well At once his eyes cat
in the light now blazing in the eyes of NJ
asst and springing to the cannon, he shouts
The One moment my comrade ! an,
ed, will draw their fire!'
do The word is not passed from his /
when his cannon speak out to the battt
In across the ravine His fash, his smC
by have not gone, but hark Did you h
. that storm of copper balls clatter agai
S p his cannon ; did you see it dig the ca
lgh beneath the hoofs of Mays squadron
res, Men, follow!" Do you see that
our cleaning with battle fire, that seine
Or cutting its glittering circle in the all
Use. Those men can hold their shouts
nan longer. Rending the air with erie:
lent Hark the whole army echo them. T
.ure strike spurs, and worried into madn
ter their horses whirl on and thunder a
his to the deadly ravine.
ting The old man, Taylor, said, after
his battle, that he never felt his heart bes
his it did then.
/ its For it was a glorious sight to see
cry young man, May, at the head of
the squadron, dashing across the ravine,
the yards in advance of his foremost 1
with while long and dark behind him