Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1881-11-23
fhr Brave Three Hundred.

vile was enacted tragedy wOrthler to
live in epic verse Than the oh lrge Of the
Light Brigade at BalakavS. Only once in
all the histories of war have | seen II
mentioned, and tonight my thoughts
brood over the nameless gr'v"~ OF those
unsung heroes till NV soul cries ont in
protest against favoritisms of historic
fame, and tor hose humble heroes | mus
crave the meagre Justice OF passing
mention in the ears Of their countrymen
was present when Stunewdll Jackson
received his first wound. He rad CON
pletely surprised Howards eleventh corps
and was driving them in the widest con-
fusion along toward the centre Of Onr
line In the fight they passed through a
piece of woods, just b yOnd which, in ii
clearing, lay four of Sickles' batteries AMI
n flying artillery battery and the eighth
Pennsylvania cavalry OF Gen. Plelsau-
tons The batteries were not in lOsition,
but were packed, awaiting orders
Through their lines rushed the panic
stricken fugitives, hotly pursued by
Jacksun'S immense corps Of over twenty
thousand men Infantry, artillery, ambn
lance, pack mules, negroes and stragglers.
the worst scared men | ever looked upon,
came tearing past like mad. Batteries
had no commanders, but each capialn
e1citedly acle, for himself Butery -
left wheel Fire to the rear In battery
Calssons p ass gour pieces, tro', mntch!
and frightened bugler caught only the
word "trot,H and sounded IT, and NJ
more 1t rang out clear above the worse
than Babel; many look it tor general
stampede signal across the field, aud
down the hill, ana over = stone wall near
its foot. in that fImouS ravlne, dr-hrd
several caissons ani a few guns. FIX
pro,ong to fire rsireing With canister
-load!'
| On came the fugertves nearer and
nearer through the sounding woo1s came
h. confederate veil and the rush OF
StDnewal JacksOn's victorious I"giVns.
Sickles was almost mile away. pushing
through the woods With h's splendid
corps Not federal muskel WAS III sight
except what the eleventh corps bore tn
the rear us fast as legs would carry them
We must make our fight against thosr
Tremendous odds alone-6ye ba teres OF
us and three hundred cavalry not Over
six hundred men all told.
On swept twenty thousand coniederates
and we We're not yet ready to hght. Oar
lline was confusion, worse, cOntnunded ;
guns stood pointing whithersoeveri the
lexcied cannoneers listened, and at the
first fire one half of US would blow the
other into eternity, nnd Stonewail woult
have Hooker's headquarters aud double
up the whole army-a cheering prospect
thatl The sun had set behind the woods
and through them, ye, faster IN Int
tbicking gloom. rushed Jack sons troop
Suddenly Out in front of our guns ro'tt
the familiar form OF Gen. Pleasanton
Above the din rose the shrill voice: "Aligr
those pieces! 1t was the work .
, MANY minutes, and Stonewall was nov
, inst upon US lime! oh, for ten minute
time! How to get it!
) There sat Major Keenan,, with his three
hundred hOrsemen. Here was sacrifice
which, if every man was pttrlo1 llk'
Arnold Tinkleriei. would give up thus'
precious minu es. Geu. Peasanton salt
, ouickly to Keenan,, " Major. you mus
charge into those woods wi b your mei
and hold the enemy in check until | ge
these guns into position You must do i
. At all cost" Keenan, says = II is just th
same as saying you must he Killed,
but with smile he said, Genera'' VII
do it,"
Oh, what sight was that! W"nla Il
: God some American lenhVsoh mIgn' So
that SIGHT and lift those humble names t
: immortality Three hundred troopers wit
. deep set spurs and flashing sabers ru5brt
= at the throats of twenty thousand arme
4 men! Nooody had Numbered, but SOM
body must die for the armY-'hat wa
ali!
E So mad blow did they strike IN Jarh
son very teeth that he stopped lils on
n ward rush TO reform MS hne9' oorei
+ there must he more comlnS-no singl
= regiment would he charging MS arm
y sing Northumberland when no other Dol
riders came. then il was that the BRAY
u Keenrn died at the head OF his regimen
} and the whole platoon died with thelr lee
Il in the stitrups.
But they dld not ule IN VAN; zen ln',