The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1880-07-14
5alraiiait Q5azette.
"Wednesday, JULY u. 1850.
me nrave rhree hundred.

line 11ANG AnECc AAoDohN4s
Few Americans ever dreamed that among
the dark and gloomy pines OF Chancellorville
was enacted tragedy worthier TO live in epic
verse than the famous charge of the Light
Brigade at Balaklava. Only once IN all the
histories Of the war have seen il mentioned,
and tonight my thoughts brood over the name
less graves Of those unsung heroes till my soul
cries out in protest against favoritsms Of his
toric fame, and for these humble heroes must
crave the meagre justice Of passing mention
in the ears Of their countrymen.
1t was the night Stonewall jackson received
his death wound He had completely sur
prised Towards Eleventh corps and was driv-
ing them in the widest confusion along to-
wards the centre Of our line. In the light
they passed through q woods, just beyond
which, in 4 clearing, lay four Of Sickel's bat
teries, and flying artillery battery and the
Eighth Pennsylvania cavalry OF Gen. Plea
santon's. The batteries were nor In position
but were parked" awaiting orders.
Through their lines dashed the panic
stricken fugitives, hotly pursued by Jackson's
immense corps of over twenty Thousand men.
Infantry, artillery, ambulances, pack mules,
negroes and stragglers, the worst scared men
l ever looked upon. came tearing like mad
past. Batteries had no common commanders,
bat each captain excitedly acted for himself.
"Battery--left wheel. Fire to the rear. In
battery: Caissons pass your pieces, trot
March 20 and a frightened bugler caught only
the word "trot," and sounded it and no more.
Ii rang out clear above the worse than Babel /:
many took it for general stampede signal,
and across the field, and down the hill, and
across stone wall near its foot, in that famous
ravine dashed several caissons and q few guns.
FIX prolong to fire retiring" "With canister
load"
On came the fugitives; nearer and nearer
through that sounding woods came that Con-
federate yell, and the rush of Stonewall Jack
sons victorious legious. Sickles was almost
mile away, pushing through the woods with
his splendid corps. Not Federal musket
was IN sight except what the Eleventh corps
men were bearing TO the rear as rapidly as
legs could carry them. We must make our
fight against those tremendous odds alone
five batteries of us and three hundred cavalry
men-not over six hundred men, all told.
On swept twenty thousand Confederates,
and we were not yet ready TO fight Our line
was confusion worse confounded; guns stood
pointing whithersoever: the excited canno-
neers listened, and at the first FIRE one-half Of
us would blow the other half into eternity,
and Stonewall would have Hooker's head
quarters, and double up our whole army-a
cheering prospect that The sun had set be-
hiud the woods, aud through them, yet faster,
in the thickening gloom, rushed Jackson
troops.
Suddenly out in front of our guns rode the
familiar form of Gen. Pleasanton. Above the
din rings his shrill voice: Align those
pieces !" 1t was a work of many minutes,
and Stonewall was now Just upon us. Time
oh for ten minutes time How to get it
There sat Major keenan, with his three hun
bred horsemen. Here was the sacrifice, which,
if every man was patriot like Arnold Win
kelried, would give US those precious minutes.
Gen. Pleasauton said quickly 20 Keenan,,
Major, you must charge in those woods with
your regiment, and hold the enemy until can
get those guns into position. You must do it
at all cost" Pleasanton says; sit was just
the same as saying you must be killed, but
with a smile he replied, General, will do it. "
Oh what sight was that! Would to God
some American Tennyson might see that sight,
and lift those humble names into Immortality /!
Three hundred troopers with deep set spurs
and flashing sabres, rushed at the Threats of
twenty thousand armed men. Nobody had
Numbered, but somebody must die for the army
that was all
So mad blow did they strike in Jackson's
very teeth that he stopped his onward rush to
reform his lines-surely there must be more
coming-no single regiment could be charging
his army single handed-and when no more
bold riders came, then it was that brave Keen
an died at the head of his regiment, and the
whole platoon persisted with their feet in the
stirrups! But they did not die in vain.
Ten minutes purchased at that fearful price
to US, were costlier still to jackson. When
he came on again, flesh and blood could not
stand up before our terrific canister fire. His
veterans quailed before that sirrocco of death.
He rode up to rectify his lines, was mistaken
in the gathering darkness for one of our cav
alrymen and was shot by his own men.
Our three times three" had hardly ceased
to ring when Sickles, who had rushed ahead
of his veterans hurrying to our support, rode
up among our guns and called out: " You've
done nobly, boysi Stand firm, and in ten
minutes Tll have fifteen thousand men here
who don't know anything but fight" He was
as good as his word, and quickly the old
third corps filed in behind the guns and Jack
sons famous corps had received its first defeat.
Three hundred men made Thermophae
live through centuries; six hundred men at
Balaklavs rode to fame in sight of the whole
world, but the cynicism OF America has left to
slumber IN unknown graves beneath the pine
cones of Chsncellorville, little band of men
whose deed was as great and worthy of re-
uown as those whose fame poets have sung
through all ages.