The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-06-26

fast as the hoof falls. There is no music
like the winding of the bugle, and no mon
otone so full of meaning as the clink of
sabres, rising and falling with the dashing
pace. Horse and rider become one-a
new race of Oentaurs-and the charge,
the stroke, the crack of carbines, are 80
quick, vehement, and dramatic, that we
seem to be watching jOust in the tourna-
ment, and following fierce Saladins and
Crusaders again. We had ridden two
horses at fair canter, when we came to
a small stream that crossed the road OBJ
liquely, and gurgled away through sandy
valley into the deep woods. A cart track,
half obliterated, here idiverged, running
parallel with the creek, and the Major
held up his sword as signal to halt at
the same moment, the bugler blew quick
shrill note.
"There are hoof-marks here" grunted
the major-"fiv of 'em. The Dutchman
has gone into the thicket. Halloo! he
added" there go the carbines!"
heard clearly two explosions in rapid
succession, then general discharge, as of
several persons firing at once, and at last
five continued reports, fainter but more
regular, and like the several emptyings of
a revolver. I had scarcely time to note
these things, and the effect produced upon
the troop, when strange noises came from
the woods to the right-the f1oundering of
steeds, the cries and curses of men, and
the ringing of steel striking steel. The
boughs cracked, the leaves quivered, and
horse and rider plunged into the road,
not five rods from my feet. The man was
bareheaded, and his face and clothing were
torn with briers and branches. He was
at first riding fairly upon our troop, when
he beheld the uniform and standards, and
with a sharp oath flung up his sword and
hands.
II surrender!' be said; ct give in.
Don't shoot!" .-..
The scores of carbines that were lev
elled upon him at once dropped to their
rests at the saddles; but some unseen
avenger had not needed the shrek; hall
whistled from the woods, and the man fell
from his cushion like stone. In another
instant, the German Sergeant bounded
through the gap, holding his sabre aloft in
his right hand; but the left rung stiff and
shattered at bis side, and his face was
deathly white. He glared an instant at
the dead man by the roadside, leered
grimly, and called aloud: "Come on, Ma
jor! dis way! Dere is squad of dem
ahead?"
The bugle at once sounded charge; the
Major rose in the stirrups, and thundered
forward" reined aside intuitively, and
the column dashed hotly past me. With
glance at the heap of mortality littering
the way, spurred my nag sharply, and
followed hard behind The riderless horse
seemed to catch the fever of the moment,
and closed up with me, leaving his master
the solitary tenant of the dell. For per-
haps three miles, we galloped like the
wind, and my brave little traveller
overlook the hindmost of the troop
and then retained the position. Thrice
there were discharges ahead. l caught
glimpses of the Major, the Captain and
the wol6sh Sergeant far in advance, and
at once saw, through the cloud of dust
that beset them, the pursued and the indi-
vidual pursuers turning the top of hill
But for the most part saw nothing
felt all the intense, consuming ardor of
the time and the event. l thought that
my hand clutched sabre, and despised
myself that it did not do so; stood in
the stirrups, and held some invisible enemy
by the throat; the bloodiness of the chase
was upon me. realized the fierce infatu-
alton of matching life with life, and stand
ing arbiter upon my fellows body. It
seemed but moment when we halted,
red and painting, in the paltry courthouse
village of Hanover. The feld-pieces
hurled few shells at the escaping Con-
federates, and the men were ordered to
dismount
A Confederate picket had been occupy
ing the village. Two of the man Otho's
party had been slain in the woods, where
also lay as many Southerners.