Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1872-05-15
VOL. XII.
Arnold at saltwater.
September 10, 1777.l

Arnold at saltwater.
(septe1nber 49, 1777.l
by THOMAS DUNN ENGLISH.
All! you mistake me, comrades, to think that m!
heart is STEEL
Cased in a cold endurance nor pleasure nor pain t.
feel;
Cold as am in my man, yet these cheeks
scared
Tear-drops have fallen in torrents, thrice since m,
chin grew beard.
Thrice since my chin was bearded I suffered tn
tears to fall:
Benedict Arnold, the traitor, he was the cause o
them all.
Once, when he carried Saltwater, proud of his yalor
I cred:
Then with my rage at his treason-with pity whe1
Andre died.
Benedict Arnold, the traitor sank deep in the pit
shame,
Bartered for vengeance his honor, blackened fol
profit his fame;
Yet never gallanter soldier, whatever his after
Fought on the red field of honor than he in his early
time.
All, remember saltwater as it were yesterday:
Then first I shouldered frelock, and set out the
foeEen to slay.
The country was up all around u.s. racing and chas-
And had gone out with my neighbors, Gates and
his forces to join.
Marched we with Poor and with Learned, ready and
eager to fight;
There stood the foemer before us, cannon and men
on the height:
Onward we trod with no shouting, fofpldden 70 IRE
till the word:
AS silent their long line of scarlet-not one of them
whispered or stirred.
Suddenly then from among them smoke rose and
spread on the breeze;
Grapeshot flew over us sharply, cutting the limbs
Tho trnnG
But onward we pressed till the order of Cilley fell
full on the ear:
Then we leYeled our pieces and fired them, and
rushed up the slope with cheer
Fercey we charged on the centre and beat back the
stout grenadiers,
And wounded the brave Major Ackland, and grap-
pied the swart cannoniers:
Five times captured their cannons and five times
they took them again.
But the sixth time we had them we kept them, and
with them a share of their men.
Our color ell who led us dismounted high on a can
non he sprang-
Over the noise Of our shouting clearly his joyous
words rang:
These are our own brazen beauties Hereto Ameri-
cas- cause
dedicate each, and to freedom foes to King
George and his laws "
Worn as we were with the struggle, wounded and
bleeding and sore,
Some stood all pale and exhausted; some lay there
stiff in their gore;
And round through the mass went murmur, that
grew to a whispering clear,
And then to reproaches outspoken-"H Ii General
Arnold were here !"
For Gates. in his folly and envy had given the chief
And far in the rear some had seen him horseess and
moody stand,
Knitting his forehead in anger and gnawing his red
lip in pain,
Fretting himself like bloodhound held back from
his prey by cham.
ruff1e of drums
Here is the well known brown charger! Squirting il
madley he comes
Iearned's brigade have espied him. rending the all
with cheer:
Woe to the terrible foeman, now that leader is
herei
Piercing the tumult behind him. Armstrong is not
on his track:
Gates has despatched his lieutenant to summon the
fugitive back.
Armstpong might summon the tempest, order the
whirlwind TO stay,
Issue commands to the earthGnake-Yorld they thu
mandate obey?
Wounds, they were healed in moment, WEAKNESS
instantly gone:
Forward he pointed his sabre-led us, not ordered
on.
Down on the Hessians we thundered he, like mad.
man, ahead:
Yainly they strove to Withstand us-raging, they
shivered and fed.
On to their earthworks drove them, shaking with
ire and dismay;
There they made stand with a purpose to beat back
the tide of the day:
Onward we followed, then faltered; deadly their
balls whistIed free.
Where was our death-daring leader? Arnold, our
hope, where was he?
He? He was everywhere riding! hither and thither
his form,
On the brown charger careerng, showed the path
OF the storm.
Over the roar of the cannon, over the musketrYs
crash,
Sounded his voice, while his sabre Lit up the way
wit its fash.
Throwing quick giances around him, reigning mo-
ment his steed-
s Brooks that redoubt !" was his order let the
rest follow my lead
Mark where the snOke-clOud is parting see where
their gun barrels glance!
Livingston, forward! On, Wesson! charge them !!
Let Morgan advance!
Forward :" he shouted and squirting on through
the sally-port then,
Fell sword in hand on the Hessians, closely behind
him our men.
Back shrank the fOemen in terror, off went their
forces pell-mell,
Firing one Parthian volley struck by it, Arnold he
fell.
Ours was the day. Up we raised him spurted the
blood from his knee
Take this cravat boys and bind it am not dead
yet !" said he.
g What! did you follow me, Armstrong? Pray, do
you think it quite right,
Leaving your duties out yonder to risk your d. ar
self in the fight ~
General Gates sent his orders" falterng the aide
de-camp spoke
% Yonre to return, lest some rashness-" Fiercely
the speech Arnold broke:
'Rashness! Why, yes tell the General the rashness
he dreaded is done!
Till him his knsfok beaten tell him the battle
is won't"
Oh that a soldier glorious, every victorious in
fight,
Passed from daylight of honor into the terrible
night
Fell the mighty archangel, the earth glowed in
space, fell
Fell from the PATRIOTS heaven down to the loyast's
-Lipptncott's Magazine