Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-09-26
WILD Battle SCENES.
Colonel Kings stirring Account OF q
Charge During the War.

OOlOnel surfing OA % /
Charge During the War.
Out in the broad, failow field the up |
roar of the fierce combat swells and /
RACES, and though the long. compact /
columns are still pushing on. the head |
long speed of the charge is gone. the |
leading squadrons are swallowed up in |
cheering clouds of swordsmen dressed !
in the Union blue. The Southern lead |
ers are hewing their way fighting like
tigers, and yelling command and en-
enlargement to their men, but these
wolverines" of Custer have barred
the path; scores of troopers from all
over the field are bearing down on
front and fianks; Chesters guns have
torn fearful rents in their now belea-
cured column; hundreds Of steeds are
rolling in agony on the turf. and hun
dreds of riders are bleeding and
thrown. Eager troops dash from their
places in the rearward lines and rush
yelling to join the combat at the front
Hampton's battlehag is waved on high
and spurred through the mass OF sway
ing chargers to animate the Carolinians
to renewed effort; but it is all practic-
ally unavailing; the impetus of the at
tack is done, and now, though outnum-
bering the hOrsemen swarming upon
them from every side, Lee and Hamp-
ton are almost helpless.
Relying on dash. weight and inertia
to sweep everything before them, the
Southern leaders have failed to provide
for just this possibility. Now their
gallant men are jammed together in
one great, surging mass; only those on
the flank or front can use sabre or pis-
toll; the rest are useles rs so many
sheep. In vain their officers shout
! hoarse commands to open out, to cut
their way to right or left. From East
and West every instant fresh parties OF
Union horse come dashing in with ne!7'
! shock and impetus. hurting men from the
saddle, adding to the clamor and con-
fusion, utterly blocking every attempt
! OF the gray troopers to wheel outward
/ and hew path to their struggling
/ comrades in the foremost lines. kear-
| ney notes it all with mad eXultatiOn;
! Draytons half score of men and the
! Pennsylvania troopers are hurriedly
ranging themselves in rank, when
! through the cloud of dust they caught
sight of that battle flag OF Hampton's
! struggling forward in the midst of the
! confederate column. There's our
pointr' he shouts as with flashing eyes,
he turns to the little troop. Come on,
men," And with Dayton at his side
and the cheering line of horsemen at
his back. down he goes in headlOng
dash upon the surging flank. Another
instance and with a crash and shock
that hurls many rider from the sad
die among the grinding hoOfs below
and overthrows dozen plunging
steeds. Kearney and his swordsmen are
hewing their way into the very heart
of Hampton's legion and making
straight for the flag.
There is q moment of fierce. thrilling
battle of vehement struggling, of yelis
and curses and resounding blows and
clashing steel and spluttering pistol
shots; a moment of mad excitement
wherein he sees, but for a second of
time, bearded. grimy, sweat-covered
faces, lit up with battle-fre, that live
in his memory for years; a moment
when every sense seems intensified and
every nerve and sinew brace to fivefold
force, and in the midst of it all, just as
he spurs his charger to the standard
bearers side, and his sabre is raised to
cut him down, and all around him is
one wild yell and clamor, there springs
between him and his prizes face and
form he we'll remembers; a bearded
knight in gray and gold, whose gleam-
| ing steel dashes to one side the blow he
aims at the standard bearers skull, and
before he can parry in return has
gashed his cheek from ear to chin.
Kearney reels from the force of the
blow, but firmly keeps his seat; and.
though he is half stunned. his practiced
hand whirls his blade to the point, and
sends it straight at the barred and
brawny throat before him An agile
twist is all that saves the jugular; but
it is a we'll nigh fatal move. unbalanc-
ing the horseman just as he is struck in
fink by a stalwart sergeant of hear-
ney's little troop, and down he goes,
horse and rider crashing 10 earth in the
center of the struggling mass From
| Kipr'S G.Ratwaan the ines -