The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-01-15

hAlNh III lA&%-AJ ~ AaAAs[A III
turned to see who all were about him
what troops are thoseY' ! asked him
doubtfully, as | saw q long line OF i'm
fantry men double quicking behind .
high rail fence distant not $50 yards
away. Icculd not distinguish the uni
form, and l was not aware Of the direc-
ton from which all our rihemen were to
enter the battle.
my Godr' said the general. chat is
the enemy"
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 o clump Of trees on
either side of the highway upon which
he had thus far advanced.
acct out Of the road Don't you see
they are bringing the battery to bear
upon us from the hin yonderg'
looked, and a white puff Of smoke
greeted my vision. and the same instant
whiz-z-whur-r-r- chee-ee-ee went q
she'll right between the general and his
staff, and 1t bounded down the road, ex-
ploding in nj "A
The general addressed me again:
"Get 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 fianks-for our
infantry were now moving out of the
skirt of the woods and opening the bait
tie in earnest.
Capt. Hart, too, had come, and he I'M
limbered his guns on the battery IN the
hill in our front. though he soon turned
his aim to the infantry line that was
nearer, and / heard the shots rafting
upon the rails behind which the enemy
had fallen.
THANK God, the infantry are here"
said one. They are the men whose
shoulders move the wheels on to victory.
l 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
fenceI"
A red and white and blue line Of fire
answered from the enemy.
Fall down and freT" heard an Off
Ger shout.
Alasl many had already fallen-fallen
to rise no more.
Half a hundred men of a regiment
stood up, and their irregular fire ratified
mookingly 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 q gful 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 oan of the dying The hours
were passing, the musketry was roaring
with an unbroken note, the batteries
were believing at each other, when sud
denly there was a deep, dull thud-t
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 1
lull in the firing on our right, and tn,
whole earth seemed to be laboring ant
groaning. Thousands stood listenin:
amid the horrid helll
Oh, it was the charge Of the cavalryi
Charge. charger shouted the throat
of q dozen officers, and the bugle blasts
ringing out family in the din, mingled
and died away in the fierce shouting o.
the squadrons.
Boomi booml boom! went the artillery
bosses.
Clang! clangl clangi rang ont the gilt
tering sabers as they leaped from TIL
scabbard.
1t was, however, but an instant Of aw
full chorus when the wailing cry of Wat
erloo, qui peut!-.save himsel
who canF-went up before the onrushine
squadron of furious horsemen, who brokI
out in the wild shout of victory tina
deadened the guns along the whole lini
and troops on the right-troops on TIL
left-troops in the center-an caught thI
notes, and there was one long and terrific
thunder note of victory! The cheers o
infantry men greeted the shouts of cav
airy meanwhile the little squad abou
the artillery-braye fellows, with band
of red upon their uniforms, cried out, a
the defeated were seen flying in strickel
masses in front:
"Hurra for our battery"
And well might the living victor
shout
And well may the dead rest-frient
and foe in "one red burial blent