The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1885-08-29
A Soldiers Honor.


Look down thereon the right-be-
hind that simple line of rail fence-in
the midst of fire and smoke-in the
midst of death and terror-see that
single regiment - only four hundred
bayonets left! see that firm line of de-
voted men, holding that pont,-Oh.
how the shot and shell are poured in
upon them; for they hold position
where the enemy are aiming to plant
battery; and a battery there in the
hands of the foe, means defeat, swift
and sure. And that mere handful of
men must hold the position until aid
can be sent; but it cannot be sent now,
though a messenger has gone for it.
Ha! there comes squadron OF the
enemy's cayalry--it comes laundering
down upon that devoted band, threaten
ing to sweep it away like chaff before
the wind. The general commanding
the forces engaged looks on from his
post of observation, and takee in the
situation at glance. He has planned
the best he knew, and all has gone well
thus far; but if the enemy gain that
extreme point on the right, he is out
nanked in spite of all his power to over
come it. If that thunderbolt of cavalry
now coming down, sweeps back that line
at the fence-farewell to victory! Fare
well to hope!
VIII they standP Can they hold the
line? If one man falters-if only one
poor man weadens and runs, the po-
sition is lost--and the day is lost! for
the example of one man, at such mo-
ment, is supreme, for good or ill.
Thank Heaven! they hold fast The
line, in two ranks, prepare to resist the
cavalry. Every rifle, with its sabre
bayonet fixed, is held in place firmly, as
though they would not move. But
they do move; yes, yes-as the ap-
preaching cavalry come so near the
colonel can see the whites of their eyes,
he gives the word: "Upl rear rank!
aim! FIREp And a sheet of flame
bleaches forth, and fully third of those
advancing saddles are emptied; or, at
least, so it seems.
The men have fired, and are again in
stantly in position, for resisting the
cavalry. But the cavalry does not come
upon them. Panic has seized both
men and horses, and the whirlwind is
broken, and turned harmless away, Just
as Robinson's Battery of Ours, with
wild hurrah! comes laundering upon
the scene, to take the position, and de-
eide the fBte of the day.
And along by the line of that fence
two score dead bodies lie-brave fellows
who died at their posts-brave fellows
who feared only dishonor; part of the
line they had been who had won the
battle; for the general will tell you that
if that line had wavered, if it had been
broken, the day would have been lost
to him as sure as fate. And yet, there
they knelt-these devoted men, with the
fate of the army on their shoulders
knelt at the portals of death-with
death on every hand; death shifting them
where they lay: there they held their
own, in spite of all the horrors and ter
rors; and calamities of the hour, and
never budged.
The generals name was flying over
the country on the next day, on the
wings of lightning. But of those true
heroes, who held that supreme position,
not a name was put in print.
Afterwards asked one of those pri- !
vate soldiers how he felt when he knelt
there, and saw what he had to do, and |
what his chances were. He had been
on the extreme right, and within twenty |
yards of his position had been the edge
of dense thicket of stunted pine and |
scrub-oak. said 1:
'If you had gained that thicket you
would have been perfectly safe?'
Yes" he answered, ''and the rest
would have followed me-every man of
them. Yes; / should have saved my |
life. All. l thought of that. looked
at that wood, and thought of it many |
times while that rain of death was being |
poured in upon us; thought that my life
would be safe; and then the thought
came: But what shall save my honor
when this days story is told? And l
held my ground"