Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1875-06-24

Oh, the trembling and the terror! for too soon we
saw our error;
They are baffied, 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, 10! 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 see
each massive colnmn
As they near the naked rth-mound with the
slanting walls so steep.
Have our soldiers got faint-hearted, and in noise.
less haste departedy
Are they panic-struck and helpless? Are they
palsled or asleep!
Now! the walls they're almost unaer Scarce
rod the foes asunder!
Not frelock flashed against them! Up the earth
work they will swarm!
But the words have scarce been spoken when the
ominous calm is broken.
And the believing crash has emptied all the
geance of the STORM
So again, with murderous slaughter, pelted back
ward to the water,
Fly Plgots running heroes ana the frightened
braves of Howe;
And we shout: AT last they're done for, its
their barges they have run for;
They're beaten, beaten, beaten; and the battles
over now!h
And we looked, poor timid creatures, on the
rough old soldier features,
Our lips afraid to question, but he knew what we
would ask
Not sure he said: keep quiet-once more,
guess, they'll try it
handed me his flask,
Saying: "Gal, you're looking shaky have drop
of old Jamaiky;
I'm afeard there'll be more trouble afore the job
is done"
So / took one scorching swallow; dreadful faint
l felt and hollow,
Standing there from early morning when the firing
was begun.
All through those hours of trial had watched
calm clock dial,
As the hands kept creeping, creepiHg-they were
creeping round to four.
When the old man said: They're forming with
their bayonets fixed for storming:
It's the death-grip that's coming-they will try
the works once more"
With brazen trumpets blaring, the flames behind
them glazing.
The deadly wall before them, in close array they
come:
Still onward, upward toiling, like dragons fold
Like the rattesnake's shrll warning the reverber-
ating drum!
Over heaps all torn and gory-shall tell the fear
ful story,
How tney surged above the breast-work
breaks Ger deck
How driven, yet scarce defeated, our worn-out
men retreaIed,
With their powder-horns all emptied like the
swimmers from wreck.
r, AM Gov HOY,
say / tainted,
And the wooden-legged old Corporal stumped
with me down the stair.
And when | woke from dreams alrighted the
evening lamps were lighted
on the floor a youth was lying; his bleeding
breast was bare.
And heard through all the furry; Send for
Warren! Hurry hurry
Tell him here's a soldier bleeding, and he'll come
and dress his wound"
All we knew not till the morrow told It's tale OF
death and sorrow,
How the starlight found him stfened on the
dark and bloody ground.
Who the youth was, what his name was, where
the place from which he came was,
Who had brought him from the battle and had
left him at our door,
He could not speak TO tell us; but twas one OF
As the homespun plainly showed us which the
dying soldier wore.
For they all thought he was dying, as they gath
cred round him crying
And they said "Oh, how they'll miss him. and
What will his mother dor
Then, his eyeds Just unclosng, like child that
has been doing,
He family murmured, +" Mother .''-and-I saw his
eyes were blue.
"Why, grandma, how you're winkingH-and,
my child. ii sets me thinking
OF a story not like this one. Wen. he somehow
lived along;
SO we came to know each other, and | nursed
him like Another.
Till at last he stood before me- tall and rosy
checked and strong.
And we sometimes walked together In the pleas
ant summer weather;
So Please to tell us what his name as!"-Just
your own, my little dear
There's his picture Copley painted; we became
so well acquainted,
That--in short, that's why I'm grandma, and you
children all are here!