National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-01-15
For The National Republican.
THE TROOPERS OF THE "NINTH.'
BY J. S. SLATER

Bards have told the ancient story now Horatlus
held the gate
And preserved the Roman city-as her chronicles
relate
Men have wondered at the gallant charge of Eng
lands Light Brigade
On Balaklavas bloody height, by Tennyson por-
trayed;
Bat I'll tell you of as brave deed-a grander,
nobler sight
Than Rome or Balaklava saw; a deed of courage
bright,
The halo of whose glory adds new lustre to the
charms
That gid the world of chivalry with valiant feats
of arms.
On Colorado's distant plains a small but gallant
band,
Beleaguered round by savages, had made des-
prate stand.
Outnumbered more than four to one, they bravery
made dispute
With those CoSSacks of the western World-the
willy, vengeful Ute;
And though comrades ellaround them TO be num-
bered with the slain,
And Others wrfthed in agony upon the sodden
plain.
Yet the living never faltered, but with cheer and
rifles crack
Boldly flung the foe defiance DER deaths beaten,
bloody track.
Small hope they had OF succor-sure rellef was lar
away;
While between them and assistance scores onscoreS
of foemen lay.
They were hedged about on eyry side; pent up in
dread corral
OF savage hearts implacable as demons hot from
hell.
But yet, though belted round with death, their
hearts were undismayed;
Though breathed upon by fiery breath no soldiers
cheek betrayed
The fear that makesmen towards but like Sparta's
Each won a name and linked with fame the honor
of his land.
Full threescore leagues and ten away from wars
red slaughter-pen,
With Dodge and Hughes of Saxon blood, are eight
and thirty men-
Aye, men, as you shall freely own, though on each
dusky face
The God of Nature has affixed the seal of Afric's
race
And men whose deeds shall live in song, whose
story shall be told
To generations yet to come, and be inscribed in
gold
Upon the page of history, to show how Saxon
daring
Once captured fame with sons of Ham the great
achievement sharing.
The men are lettering about as soldiers do in camp
While up and down along their beats the watchful
sentrieS tramp.
The horses picketed close blythe blankets, all
outSpread,
The tents, and wagons, and the sky, serene and
blue erhead,
Make such a scene as painters loYe-a scene
HALT Who comes there"
Rings out the challenge clear and sharp upon the
crispy air.
ga friend" Advance" And at the word rides
rapidly in view
Ahaggard form who quick dismounts within the
ranks of blue.
"Your captain?" "Iam here said Dodge; "What
message do you bring?"
A word" Enough! Blow, trumpeter, and make
the echoes ring;
Our comrades are surrounded; but, though foes
are ten to one,
Well ride them through or die like men ere sets
to-morrow's sun"
Then sounded "boots and saddles and the
troopers gathered round
A moment more and ey'ry form was lifted from
the ground,
And upon their good steeds seated all were gallop-
ing away
To the place where danger threatened and their
comrades were at bay.
All, twas sight to stir the pulse and thrill the
heart with pride:
Those eight and thirty troopers with their leaders
true and tried,
Abandoning their baggage, wagons, tents and
everything
But their carbines and their sabres, and like birds
upon the wing,
From the golden light of morning until sunsets
latest glow
Sailing swiftly DER the prairie with their faces to
the
Sailing swiftly on and steadily to reach the dis.
tsnt goal
With their hearts as true to duty as the needle to
the pole.
Morning came; and when the sun began to build
his golden bridge
Oerthe mountain tops and valleys, there looked
down from lofty ridge
Forty hOrsemen who had ridden all the livelong
night in fear
Lest they not on their coming what their
vision made appear.
Below them in the valley lay a scene to make
men quail:
a handful Of their comrades, stormed upon by
leaden hail,
While from rocky bluff and canon to the valleys
velvet turf
Lay the shattered wrecks of heroes cast ashore by
bloody surf
"sound a call upon your bugle," then said Dodge
and at the word
Ghe trumpeter he gave blast that sleeping echoes
stirred;
And merrily the music swelled and foated far
away,
Bearing hope into the valley where the leaguered
blue-coatS lay,
Who gazing eagerly aloft, first caught the brilliant
cleaning
Of weapons bright, and then beheld the troopers
guidon streaming.
Then cheerily they answered back joyful, hope
ful greeting,
And bugle spoke to buge, echoes clear the sounds
repeating.
Then heaven looked in wonder! At the signal
bugle-call
Down rushed living avalanche, while ping and
paff of ball,
And foemans shout, and cries of pain resounded
on the air
As the horsemen rode TO glory through deaths in
teryening lair
AS they cleft the savage phalanx, like mighty
wedge of steel,
Leaving here and there q fragment crushed by
valor's iron heel.
Then the heroes in the valley saw gallant deed
well done;
Then the troopers of the prairie Fames immortal
honors won.
On that ride from hill to valley not trooper held
his seat
For of all their forty chargers never one had kept
his feet
But had fallen meath the leaden blast that swept
the fearful path,
Leading downward from the summit through the |
dwelling place of wrath.
Yet the God who rules the tempest warded off each
fatal stroke
From the troopers dashing onward through the |
thickly curtained smoke,
Tiwithin the fraiI entrenchment they had planted