Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1862-08-21

long, heavy swords.
"Would to God | had a hundred such
Little Regiments" he said between lis closed
teeth, 81 would"
The sentence was unfinished, for at this
instant. at q given signal, Taretou's troops
Clapping spurs to their steeds charged with
fearful fury.
For moment or so the militia tottered,
and surged and struggled, aud then break
lug, fed in wild confusion, thus leaving the
devoted Hillers wholly unsupported. Nor
gan expected to see the latter swept to darth
and ridden down like reeds before the tenn
pest but even he did not know the Little
Regiment. Quailing before the formidable
giants Tarleton's men swerved either 10
right or left of them, aud thus threw away
their own advantage, which the Spartan
Americans turned to their account. In a
voice that was clearly heard above the din of
battle, the elder Hitler, as he raised himself
to his height, shouted
" Close up lads, close up !! Our flag Our
flag forever W
Instantly he was encircled by bis sons,
whose herculean eXertions actually kept the
whole force OF the enemy at bay. Determin-
ed, however, to take the rebel standard, Tarl
eton's men ragged wildly about their intended
victims, but as uselessy as the storm tossed
ocean lashes the beating cliff. Man and her
ses sank to earth, till at last their bodies form
ed rampant, within which The Little Reg
iment," wounded and bleeding, fought like IL
0ns. Seeing, at last, that sabres were useless,
a British dragoon now drew pistol and lev
eliug it at young Joha Hitler, shot him through
the breast
"Ciose up, lads close up Our flag our
flag forever !" again thundered the father,
and the fearless circle was once more Serfed
and broken.
By this time Morgan had succeed in bring
ing up his regulars, and heading them himself,
he rushed to the rescue of the noble Hliiers.
But, alas too late ! A second Of the
Little Regiment" fel-then a third, and q
fourth, aud fifth !
Back to back, Ned ! Our flag foreverw
hoarsely commanded the elder Hitler, as he
saw his fifth son sink at his feet.
For a while iMorgan's fierce. assault attracted
the attention of Tarletous men. Like tigers
did the patriot commander and his handful of
men strive to cut their way to the two cnvir-
oned heroes, and save them but fate had Or
dered it otherwise, aud tie last son falling the
less asSallantS.
Still, however, the flag foated proudly above
the doomed hero, and still that CORY sword
swept below its folds in many q horrid circle
aud still, as frenzy took the place Of reason,
Hitler shouted in wild, hoarse tones
Close up, lads !! close up Our flag our
Gag forever T.
For moment the giant patriot raised him
self up TO his full height, whirled his sword
aoft, aud delivered his last vengefGl stroke
amoug his enemies, one Of whom he Glove
nearly TO the saddle. Such was the force OF
the blow that the blade snapped assunder,
leaving only the hiIt in the hero'S hand, who,
casting this from him, sprang up and seized
the starry banner that he had so long and
bravely defended, and convusively wrapping
it about hm, sunk beneath shower Of blows
excamed with his dying voice:
"CioSe up, lads Close up ! Our flag! GU
flag forever |"
Uuable to tear the flag from about the fal-
len man, the British now turned their full
attention upon General Morgan who after a
desperate resistance vas forced to fly. lu the
course Of the pursuit, however, the enemy fell
uto irretrlevable disorder, and, ever Oh the
alert, Morgan, taking advantage of this, raj.
lied his broken force, and charging the foe
totally routed them, thus rev winning the sicLo-
ry which he had so signally lost.
His first thoughts, after the defeat Of the
enemy, turned upou the brave but fated Hill
erS. aud, together with bis aids, he rode back
to the spot where theSpartan baud had fought
and falleu. Surrounded by their victims lay
the seven gigantic Hllllers, about the eldest of
whom was stlI closely wrapped the colors
which had been committed to his care 10 the
morning now rlddIed with bullets, torn aud
soaked wth blood of its champions.
AS Morgan gazed down upon the silent
forms at his feet, tears gathered in bis eyes,
aud, with the words : " Bury them side by
side aud, above all don't remove the flag
from old John it is a heroes shroud, and
beroe is in it"-he was about to turn anay,
when one of bis aids exclaimed
" lie Acss: he Tces '
A groau and a slight movement of the body
proved this to be correct. L surgeon Was
quickly iii attendance, who after an eXamlna-
ton, gave it as his opinion that in less than
twenty minutes the life which was still iirger-
ing in the old hero would be gone.
The groGp, therefore, continued around the
dying mal, who at the end of about ten min
utes, revived SO far as 10 raise himself Oh his
elbow, aud exclaimed
"Cose up, Iads close up Cur flag our
flag forever -
This was his last effort, and spasmodcally
drawing his spaEsied and blood stained Shroud
closely about him, he fell bach to earth q
corps.
With the thoughts of such sires and such
deo,ls as these living gin our memories, is there
to-day, Within the. boundaries of the laud which
our fathers have beqneathed to US is there one
American, who IN his heart does not love and
venerate the starry banuer under which the
heroes of '76 fought aud died. Is there to-
day. in the wide expauSe of the republic, one
American, who will not exclaim with tAs dy-