Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1859-08-30


and if possible, to drive them from their
strong entrenchments.
The army was drawn up in military or
der, and preparations made for the ap-
preaching contest The long files of
armed men moved off for the scene of
conflict. Major Halstein at the head OF
his brave Dragons, also took up the line
of march, and in few hours the camp,
which so lately was alive with the sounds
of warliIle preparations, was silent and
! deserted
All supposed that the young Swiss girl
would remain behind with some of the
peasantry thatdwelt near the encampment
One SO slender and frail seemed unfit for
the scenes of bloody strife But as we'll
might the tender vine be tom from the
support of the strong oak, as the confiding
| maiden from the presence of her protec-
tor.
She could brave the thunders of the
battle field rather than pine in lonely sep
aration, fearing lest some i'll might befall
the noble being of her affections, aud she
not near to minister to his wants and bind
up his wounds.
All day long she endured the weary
march of the advancing army. ever near
the body Of cavalry. In due time the two
armies met; face to face the opposing
columns closed in the bloody strife !;
During all that fearful day the maiden
was seen, as some omnipresent spirit, how
ering always near the person of the young
Swedish comma nder, mingling in the
dreadful charges of the cavalry, her loos-
ened hair streaming wildly III the wind as
she swiftly flew across the field of car
mage, never weary, but borne up by an
unnatural strength, she feared not the
dangers which surrounded her, while sup
ported by the cheering presence Of her
guardian.
There came at length change in the
strife the Prussians who had sustained
continued fight the whole fore part Of the
day, were unable longer to endure the su-
perior force Of the Swades and Danes, but
were compelled to desert their entrench-
ments, and beat hazty retreat.
The victorious solGery, unwilling to re-
linquish SO signal defeat, pursued the
retreating army, and the whole after part
Of the day hung upon their rear, spread
ing death and destruction Oh all sides !;
but as the shades of evening drew on, the
elated soldiery, glutted with slaughter and
satisfied with their victory, retired to their
encampments TO seek rest from the weary
/ labors of the day.
The place selected for the camp was a
deep valley surrounded by high MOUNTAINS
on every side, and completely shut OH,
from the rest of the world by the tower
ing, snow-capped enbankment of nature.
Here, in this wild and lovely spot, the Ii
red army pitched their tents for the night
After hasty supper, each retired to the
sweet embrace OF sleep, to dream of far
distant homes and the dear ones that anx-
iously waited their return; or perhaps,
! fighting over the battles of the day in their
sleep, while the pleasant deusion of war
like honors deceived them in the feverish
excitement of their dreams. Even the
tired sentry would have slept at his post.
No guards " ere stationed, as no attack
was feared from the remains Of the TO ut
cd enemy.
The camp seemed as if wrapped in the
arms of death, and like the hosts of Sen
acherib, to have passed from the sleep Of
weary nature to the long. last repose of
eternity.
Yet there was one eye which the tolls
of a battle day were unable to close,-in
her hands was the fate OF those countless
souls which were now powerless and at
the mercy of the vengeful sword the
safety of one among that host forbade
those eyes to close in sleep while danger
might be near tc harm. During the ST.
lent hours of darkness she kept her vigils,
reclining her weary limbs on pallet Of
straw near the noble charger Of the young
officer.
The watches of the night passed slow
Iy by; the camp-fres gradually died away,
and impenetrable darkness shrouded the
valley with a deain-ike pail; no sound
was heard except the sighing of the wind
among the branches of the tall pines, or
the shrie,s of the night-hawk as he dart
ed among the tents, or anon, the ominous
boot of the sleepless owl from some neigh
boring hilltop. All seemed in perfect
securlty-little did the sleeping soldier
dream of the danger that threatened,