The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-12-11


Then burst the musketry with crash,
As through dry reeds, with cracking fash,
Flames sweep the prairie plain.
The lines to right and left were spread,
And regiments were quickly led
To face the blaze of fire;
Not minding carnage that annoyed,
Commanders every unemployed
Their soldiers to inspire.
Onward DER plain and broken ground,
And over stony ledge they bound
To wood, beyond the field,
Where tall oak-trees and brushwood green
And huge ck-bowlders form screen
From sight of foe to shield.
Their chief, unheeding danger nigh,
With bearing calm, with eagle eye.
Inspects each blue brigade;
His ardent mind was fired to see
The gray coat army, led by Lee,
His native state invade.
There on his steed each move he scanned
And gave the orders of command,
When crashed the fatal ball
Through Reynolds brain; then stout heart
quailed.
And war-bronzed veterans faces paled
To see their leader fall.
One NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Forebodiugs vague-then loud and clear
Rang stern1y cheer on cheer;
And forward with impetuous rush,
They dart through grove and tangled brush, F.
Resistless their career.
They swept around full brigade,
Surprised, empowered it, quickly led
A captive band to rear;
In the first onset of the fight,
Archer, ere he could turn in flight,
Was made prisoner.
With bearing firm and steady hand,
The weighty reins of that command
Were held by Doubleday
Well qualified the place to fill,
He planned with admirable skill
The movements of the fray.
No puny courage that has met
In that encounter; on they set
With desperate resolve,
Notlightly will they yield the day;
Lying or dead, they came to stay
where bolts of death revolve.
when the first storm-burst spent its force
calm, most ominous, in course
ofa short period passed;
Then loud the sound of conflict grew;
The platoons now their fire renew
In volIeys thick and fast.
-wflhzudden fsFcs. determined charge.
Confederate battalions large
In solid mass combine;
United columns, deep and wide,
Come on in overwhelming tide
Upon the Federal line
To stem that tide their force too small,
They, yielding slowly, backward fall,
Leaving upon the sod
So many oftheir valiant band,
Where foot and hoof on every hand
Like leaves their bodies trod.
They rally and present again
A line of stern and dauntless men
To face that line of steel;
They hope to hold their ground until
The corps arrive, that distant still
Are pressing on WITH zeal.
And, hurried on, those troops advance
That yet have been denied the chance
Offighting at the front;
When rolls ON air the great guns sound,
The patriot steps with eager bound
To share the battles brunt.
His flashing eye is glancing fire,
Nor thinks he of his limbs that tire
With toilsome marches long;
His brow is knit with earnestness.
His hand is clenched, his lips compress,
His heart is bold and strong.
In house and barn the steel-points CLEAN;
In rocky ravine by the stream
The struggle was prolonged;
Through rails of fence the sheets OF fame
In quick, successive flashes came
Where infantry were thronged.
Across field by wall enclosed.
With right and left and van exposed,
A southern troop came DER;
The stony fence they nearly reach,
When overtop, through every breach,
The fatal missiles pour.
As twist and bend and fall the canes,
When whirlWind blasts and autumn rains
Pass DER the southern plains,
So falter, WAIVER, turn, and fall
The men when that division all
The sudden shock sustains.
The final movement of the day
Came ON, nor could the Federals stay
The ranks that on them bore;
Defiant on their van the foes
Are pressing-on each hand they close
As pillows roll ashore.
And then the order to retreat
Was passed along; but their defeat
Was never turned to rout
Their ranks were thinned, their valor still
Was quenchless; as they crossed the hill
To fire, they turned about.
From many = musket's threatning aim
Away fearless gunner came,
To keep his cannon tries;
ssurrender r. "NoF he will not stay.
They fire-he heeds not-drives away,
Brings in his gun-and dies.
The men in uniforms of blue
Have reached the town, and, passing through
The painting war horse foams:
And there are seen at many door
The frightened people. who implore
Protection for their homes
The troops, 0ciedteu ne ct ueSpOhus
They rally on the ridge beyond
As fall the evening shades.
The DAY of strife and slaughter past,
he suns last beam on gore is cast,
And evening twilight fades.
here sparkled at an early hour,
I grass aud shrub, on bush and flower,
the crystal drops Of dew,
stead of dew in morning fair,
w eventide are sprinkled there
Drops off crimson hue.
lrhe writer remembers seeing Just such a scene
lie standing by the roadside when the second
rps (Hancock's) was passing by on its way to Get
(To be continued)
Able Local Journal.
ROB the annapolis Capital.
The Democratic Adcocate published at
Carroll county, reached a
otig age last week, having passed its
wety-frst year. The 4drocate is pub
ishd by the Vanderford Brothers, and
dit with much tact and ability. Carroll
our is evidently proud of its able local
ourl, as no weekly paper in the State is
norsberally patronized.