Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1875-07-02

OOu 1OTDlu your ever kLOWlilS. Wucll tHert DloOu
around her flowing.
How the lonely, helpless daughter of a quiet
household feels
In the streets heard humping; and knew ii
was the stumping
OF the Corporal, our old neighbor, on that wooden
leg he wore.
With a Knot of women round him-it was lucky
had found him.
So 1 followed with the others. and the Corporal
marched before.
They were making for the steeple the old soldier
and his people;
The pigeons circled around us we climbed the
creaking stair.
just across the narrow river OH so close it made
shiver
Stood fortress on the hilltop that but yesterday
was bare.
Not slow our eyes to find it; well we knew who
stood behind 1t.
Though the earthwork hid them from us, and the
stubborn walls We're dumb:
Here were sister. wife and mother, looking wild
upon each other,
And their lips were white with terror rs they said:
THE HOUR HAS COME!
The morning slowly wasted, not a morsel had we
tasted.
And our heads We're almost splitting with the
cannons' deafenng thrill.
When figure tall and stately round the rampant
strobe sedately;
ed on the hill.
Every woman's heart grew bigger when we saw his
manly figure,
With the banyan buckled around it, standing up so
straight and tall;
Like gentleman of leisure. who is strolling out
for pleasure.
Through the storm of shell and nnon-shot he
walked around the wall.
At eleven the streets We're swarming. for the red
coats ranks were forming;
AT noon in marching order they were moving to
the piers
How the bayonets cleaned and gstened as we
looked down and listened
To the trampling and the drum-beat OF the beited
grenadiers.
AT length the men have started with cheer (it
seemed faint heartedl,
In their scarlet regimentals with their knapsacks
on their backs.
And the reddening. ripping water, as after a sea
fights slaughter
Round the barges gliding onward blushed like
blood along their tracks.
So they crossed to the other border, and again
they formed in order:
And the boats came back for soldiers, came for
soldiers soldiers still;
The time seemed everlasting to us women. FAINT
and fasting
At last They're moving marching marching proud
ly up the hill
We can see the bright steel glancing AL along the
lines advancing
Now the front rank fires volley they have
wasted their shot,
For behind their earthwork lying all the balls
above them flying.
Our people need not hurry: so they wait and an
Swer not.
Then the Corporal. our old cripple (he would
swear sometimes and tppe)
He had heard the bullets whistle (n the old French
war; before
Called ont in words Of ieering, just as if they all
were hearing
And his wooden leg thumps hercely on the dusty
belly floor:
oh! fire away ye villains, AMI earn King Georges
sh:llin's,
But yen waste ton of powder before rebel
falls;
You may bang the earth and welcome, they're as
safe as Dan'l Malcolm
Ten feet beneath the gravestones that you've
splintered with your balls.'
In the hush and expectation, in the awe and trepi
dation
OF the dread approaching moment, we are we'll
nigh breathless all;
Though the rotten bars are failing on the rickety
We are crowded up against them like the waves
against wall
just a glimpse (the air is clearer they are nearer
nearer nearer.
When fiash-a curling smoke wreatn-hen a
crash-the steeple shakes
The deadly truce is ended; the tempest shroud is
rendcd;
Like a morning mist it gathered. like thunder
cloud it breaks!
Oh the sight our eyes discovered as the blue black
smoke blows over!
The redcoats stretched in winr0ws as mower
rakes his hay;
Here a scarlet heap is lying, there headlong
crowd Is flying,
Like billow that has broken and is shivered into
spray.
Then w cried. ss'Tha trnOuS rOutpNt They
are beat it can't be doubted!
God be thanked, the fight is over! All! the grim
old soldiers smile!
Tell us, tell us why you look soy 1--WE could
hardly speak. We shook so),
Are they beaten? Are they beaten: ARE they
bcaten.' Wait awhile
Oh. the trembling and the terror! for too soon we
saw our error;
They are baflled, not defeated: we have driven
them back in vain;
And the columns that were scattered, round the
colors that were tattered.
Toward the sullen silent fortress turned their
belted breasts again.
All at once, as we are gazing, lol the roofs Of
CharlestOwn blazing!
They have fired the harmless village: in an hour it
will be down!
The Lord in heaven confound them, rain His fire
and birthstone round them
The robbing, numbering red coats, that would
burn peaceful town!
They are marching stern and solemn; we can
each massive column
AS they near the naked earth mound with the
slanting walls so steep.
Have our soldiers got fant-hearted, and IN nolse-
less haste departed?
Are they panc-struck and helpless? Are they
palsied or asleep:
Now! the walls they're almost under! Scarce Il
rod the foes asunder!
Not firclock flashed against them! Up the earth
works they will swarm!
But the words have scarce been spoken when the
Omnous calm is broken,
And the bellOwtng crash has emptied all the ven
geance of the storm!
So again. with murderous slaughter pelted back
ward to the water,
Fly Pigot's running heroes and the frightened
braves of Howe:
And we shout AT last they're done for its
their barges they have run for;
They are beaten, beaten. beaten; and the battles
now!
And we looked. poor timid creatures. on the rough
old soldiers features,
Our lips afraid to question. but he knew what
would ask:
Not sure he said; keep quiet-once more,
Here's damnation to the cut-throats!'- then he
handed me his flask,
Saying: Gal, you're looking shaky; have drop
of old Jamaiky;
I'm afeard therell be more trouble afore the JOB is
dOne;''
SO TOOK one screening SWALLOW,
felt and hollow,
Standing there frsm early morning when the firing
begun.
All through those hours Of trial had watched
calm clock dial
As the hands kept creeping, creeping-they were
creeping round to four,
When the old man said: ''They're forming with
their bayonets fixed for stormng;
It's the death-grip that's coming will try
the works once more"
With brazen trumpets blaring, the flames behind
them glaring,
The deadly walls before them in close array they
come:
Still onward, upward toiling, like dragons fold
uncoiling-
Like the rattlesnake's shril warning the reverber
ating drum!
Over heaps all torn and gOry-shall tell the fear
ful story,
How they surged above the breastwork 40 sea
l,xoal alza 6s n