The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1891-02-05

death!H
A second staff officer had been sent
back to ''hurry up the infantry" The
noble fellows were coming. You could
hear the deep, muffied hum of their
footsteps as the double quicking hur-
ried them onward. AS they came up
heard the short, quick command: ''Move
out by the right fanki Into inei
Steady, men; steady! expect every
man to do his duty now!"
Move out, and move on, my dear COM
radesi Alas! many moved on into that
column which passed on, never to re-
turn. Their first battle was their last.
There was a lull in the firing in front,
but out to the leftward volley after vol
ley poured, out upon the morning air
the sun just rising over the hills to our
right. had followed at the gallop the
general, who was hurrying to the front.
He was more silent than l had ever
known him. Suddenly he halted and
turned to see who all were about him.
"What troops are those?' asked him
doubtfully, as I saw long line of in
fantry men double quicking behind
high rail fence distant not $50 yards
away. could not distinguish the uni
form, and was not aware of the direc-
ton from which all our rifemen were to
enter the battle.
''My God!" said the general, "that is
the enemyr
We were upon them before we were
aware of their close proximity. They
discovered us, too, at once, and were
preparing for the greeting.
"Get out of the roadr shouted the
general. There was a clu1np of trees on
80 Is - 81
he had thus far advanced.
''Get out of the road! Don't you see
they are bringing the battery to bear
upon Us from the hill yonderT
looked, and a white puff of smoke
greeted my vision, and the same instant
whiz-z-whur-r-r- chee-ee-ee -pVent a
shell right between the general and his
staff, and it bounded down the road. ex-
ploding in our rear.
The general addressed me again:
SECT out of the road, and gallop back
and have the cavalry moved on the flank
of that line yonder in the field"
Another shell came in the mean time,
and made the air resonant with the fly
ing fragments.
Then there was a volley of rifles and a
faint cheer near to our fanks-for our
"OAO AOW 4uON1AS5 Ou1 Va LAO
skirt of the woods and opening the bat
tie in earnest.
Capt, Hart, too, had come, and he un-
limbered his guns on the battery on the
hill in our front. though he soon turned
his aim to the infantry line that was
nearer. and I heard the shots rattling
upon the rails behind which the enemy
had fallen.
tSrThorlr Glnd tbo i,,fa
said one. They are the men whose
shoulders move the wheels on to victory
heard the commanding general shout
as the long line came hurrying on just
as the men emerged from the skirt Of
woods, Move on that line behind yon
| fence.'
A red and white and blue line of fire
answered from the enemy.
'sFall down and fre!' heard an off,
Ger shout.
Alasi many had already fallen-fallen
to rise no more
Half hundred men of regiment
stood up, and their irregular fire ratified
mockingly along the fence.
1t was the work of but a moment, for
a whole brigade in our front answered
the fire of the little band. The battery
rained grape and canister and shrapnel
against the brigade, and now the battle
had joined in a Eful earnestness all along
the line.
Battery replied to battery, hostile
brigade replied to hostile brigade, with
sheets of iron and leaden fire. There
were in the terrific din the hurtling shot,
the screaming, screeching shell, and
whistling whirr of the deadly mimic.
Amid the roar were the shouts of com
mand, the wailing shrek of the wounded
and the moans of the dying. The hours
were passing, the lnusketry was roaring
with an unbroken note, the batteries
were believing at each other, when sud
denly there was deep, dull thud-s
mighty force which at once shook the
whole battlefield. Two heavily lader
caissons were blown up simultaneously
Then there was another sound which
could not be mistaken. There was ;
lull in the firing on our right, and tn,
whole earth seemed to be laboring ant
1 groaning. Thousands stood listening
amid the horrid hell!
Oh, it was the charge of the cavalryl
''Charge! charger shouted the throat
of dozen officers, and the bugle blasts
ringing out family in the din, mingled
anu u1eu away IN Ine nerc0 shouting O
, the squadrons.
Boomi boom! booml went the artiller,
bosses!
Clang! clang! clangl rang out the gilt
tering sabers as they leaped from th
scabbard.
1t was, however, but an instant of aw
full chorus when the wailing cry of Wat
erloo, sauve qui peuti-sssave himsel
|
squadron of furious horsemen, who brok
out III the wild shout of victory tina
deadened the guns along the whole lin
/, +,.oo,os ~, f,-00,,, -, Al.