The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1875-06-01
been a cheer but for his strict command

been cheer but for his strict command
of silence.
"Now one caution--only one. Keep
together ;don't scatter. Let us give them
our whole weight with shock that will
drive them from the field. And no car
bines-no pistols-mind that! The sa.
ber alone to day. Draw-saber
Twenty-Five hundred good blades were
in hand at the word.
"Trot--marchP'
At brisk pace we broke from the
icover of the woods, and went across an
lopen plain which was perfectly unob
lstructed. The sight that met our eyes
Twas filed with excitement Long lines
|of smoke, continually rent by the dis
charge of cannon and small arms, alone
snarked the positions ef the armies they
Stretched away from US in long perspect
i've, aud hasty glance at the field as
sured me that not only the enemys cen
ter was projected upon ours, but that his
left, toward which we were marching,
had swung round so "a to almost overlap
our right, and was pouring in terrible
cross-re of large and small arms. Il
was plain that our advance was unseen
and unexpected, for the enemy's flank
was now not more than two hundred
yards away, and yet not a shot greeted
us.
"Gallop-march! J"
The pace was changed, and we bore
down rapidly toward the goal Sudden
ly from our very front, and not more
than one hundred yards off, the flaming
mouths of four field pieces belched forth
upon us, and grape, canister and shell
tore through our ranks, prostrating at
least one hundred men and horses, and
throwing one of the battalions into tenn
porary confusion.
"Charge-charge!" yelled the general,
shaking his saber over his head and the
words flew from company to company,
as with tremendous cheer we put spurs
to our horses and burst like thunder
bolt upon the enemy. There was no time
for them to reload their cannon, but
thick hail of rifle bullets flew among US,
striking down men and horses here and
there. Oae Of them snapped off my
saber close to the guard, and another
struck down my lieutenant as he rode by
my side. But over the dead and dying
horses and men we rode-we burst
through the clouds of smoke. trampling
down the guGners and the front rank of
the infantry, cutting and slashing nd
yelling all the time like madmen Teh
line before US fell to pieces-the infantry
fed, and on we rode, straight down the
flank of the enemy. 1t was bewilder
ling, an exciting, maddening moment !!
II shook the poor fragment of my saber
and shouted and rode with the rest, glo
rying in the inspiration OF victory, until
my horse, pierced through with bayo-
net, fell and threw me to the ground. A
heavy hoof struck my head, and my
senses passed from me.
Il " Il
Two days after,I was sitting up in bed
in the farm house hospital, with wet
cloth around my head, and my broken
arm in splint, while our surgeons told
me of the victory.
Il suppose it was gloriously done,"
he said, "and the general order gives the
highest praise to our cavalry brigade.
That charge doubled their left back on
the center, and they actually had to
change front to check it. At that mo-
ment our infantry charged bayonet, while
every piece of our artillery thundered at
their center, and the result was almost a
rout 1t is thought the campaign is
over"
| "'But Marks"
"Poor Marks he was only one of the
gallant feliows-hundreds of them-tbat
we lost that bloody and glorious day
He was instantly killed by a bullet"
When l was able to mount horse
again l bad the gold leaves of major
on my shoulders.
\