The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1890-04-10

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by's command. There were fragments
from every cavalry command we had
met on the turnpikes OF old Virginia,
and there wasn't q squadron which
wouldn't stand for n charge. The bat
terry began firing more rapidly, ard
there wasn't man OF us who did MOI
realize what was coming long enough
before we got the word. Some of the
horses knew it, too. You could feel
them filling their lungs and stringing up
their nerves for hard work.
The troopers in gray wheeled into line
under fire which must have tried tho
nerves Of tho bravest, and then the com.
pact mass got the word to advance.
They were coming for our battery,
which was without infantry supports.
There we stood, two thin, short lines,
representing one thousand Dragons,
but II 1t numbering one half of that fig
ure, and a body OF fvo to one was NOV
ing down upon u.s. ] saw several of the
gunners look back. They saw tho odds.
and wondered, perhaps, why We did nct
run away.
Attention.
We had obcycd the order before it wa7
given.
Fright dress"
We were minute ahead of tho com.
mand.
Forward draw sabcrs--guidc right
-trot."
All We are off The gray moves
north and the blue moves south. We
are going to meet in meadow below.
We must hold them back until infantry
supports can be brought up. Every man
knows that he is moving down into
maelstrom of death, but no one lags. A
strange eXultation crccps into the heart.
1t is as if you had heard some grand,
good news, and wanted to shout over it
and tell every body of your good luck.
'Gallop-charge."
Death! Why, if one could die a score
of times instead of only once there
would be no fear. l sit so lightly in the
saddle that my horse seems to have no
weight to carry. He skins over tho
ground as if he had wings, and ! begin
cheering and yelling in chorus with my
comrades. 1t is living missile Of 800
men thrown at the front Of 5000. What
crash there will be. How horses will
go down and mon pitch from their sad
dies! Afraid? No! Why, man. would
not miss this scene for years life. My
hand clutches the saber with strength
l did not know / possessed. ! feel
hunger for blood such as | never felt be-
fore.
"Yi. vi. Whoop-lah" and we strike
them fair in the center. The five hun.
dred have the greatest momentum, and
we drive through the three thousand as
a wedge is pounded into soft wood. Men
strike at me. There is flash, flash,
and a pop! pop. of pistols. ] strike
back. l feel the desire of the tiger to
slay.
| Rally"
We have driven through the mass and
the tugles sound the call to gather for
the return. The horses obey without a
touch of the rein, 1t seems that tho
whole living mass is riding in a ciruir.
and that there is blood on every man
and horse, All of n sudden we shoot out
from under the smoke-cloud into the
sunshine--not tho five hundred, but tho
three hundred--and the battery opens
again. We arc to the right of it, and it
sends grapeshot into wild mob todriye
it back into the cover of the woods. ls
is sight to look down over that field.
Five hundred dead and wounded men
and horses are lying there. 1t is only
MS I sit on my horse and look over the
field that begin to feel Weak and grow
frightened. My head begins to swim
things grow dark, and some one helps
me to the ground. | have pistol ball
in my shoulder; and the blood is rum
ming down my back from saber-cut on
the head.-Detroit Free Press.