The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1891-03-09


Fall in--fall into the arms Of
death!'
A second staff officer had been sent
back to hurry up the infantry" The
noble fellows were coming. You could
hear the deep, mualod hum of their
footsteps as the double quiclging hur-
ried them onward. As they came up
heard the short, quick commands: Move
out by the right flank! Into line!
Steady, men; steady | expect every
man to do his duty now!"
Move out, and move on, my dear com
rades! Alas! many moved on into that
column which passed on, never to re-
turn. Their first battle WAS their Last,
There was 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 had ever
known him. Suddenly he halted aud
turned to see who all were about him.
"What troops are those?" | asked him
doubtfully, as | saw long line Of in
fantry men double qricking 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 ridemen We're to
enter the battle.
my God!" said the general, "that is
the enemyr
We We're upon them before we We're
aware of their close proximity. They
discovered us, too, at once, and were
preparing for the greeting.
"Get ont Of the roaI!" shouted the
general. Thore was u clump Of trees on
either side Of the highway upon which
he had thus far advanced.
"Get out OF the roadl Don't you see
they are bringing the battery to bear
upon US from the hill yonder|'
looked, and white puff of smoke
greeted my vision, and the same instant
whiz-z-whuT-r- - chee-ee-ee - went 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:
Get out Of the road, and gallop back
and have The cavalry moved on the flank
Of that line yonder i'll the field"
Another shell came in the mean time,
and made the air resonant with the fly
ing fragments
Then there was volley of rifles and
faint cheer near to our hanks--for our
infantry were now moving out of the
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 / 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.
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.
"Fall down and fret heard an off
Ger shout.
Alas! many had already fallen-fallen
to rise no more.
Half hundred men Of regiment
stood up, and their irregular fire ratified
moclringly along the fence.
1t WAS the work Of but 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 vful ea1nestness all along
the line.
Battery replied to battery, hostile
brigade replied TO hostile brigade, with
sheets of iron and leaden fire. There
We're in the terrific din the hurting shot,
the screaming, screeching shell, and
whistling whirr of the deadly lninie
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 mu3ketry was roaring
with an unbroken note, the batteries
We're believing at each other, when sud
denly there was a deep, duh thud-a
mighty force which at once shook the
whole battlefield. Two heavily laden
caissons were blown up simultaneously.
Then there was another sound which
could not be mistaken There was a
lull in the firing on our right, and the
whole earth seemed to be laboring and
groauing. Thousands stood listening
amid the horrid hell
Oh, it was The charge Of the cavalry
Charge! CHARGE shouted the throats
of dozen officers, and the bugle blasts,
ringing out family in the din mingled
and died away ia the fierce shouting of
the squadrons.
Boom! boom! booml went the artillery
bosses!
Clang! clangl clangl rang out the gilt
terlng sabers as they leaped from the
scabbard.
1t was, however, but an instant Of aw-
full chorus when the wailing cry of Wat
erloo, sauve qui peut.-''saye himself
who can!'-went up before the onrushiug
squadron of furious horselnen, who broke
ont i'll the wild shout Of victory that
deadenel the guns along the whole line
and troops on the right-troops on the
lett-tr0Ops in the Center-Gll caught tho
notes, and there was one loHgnaa terrific
tkunder note of yictoryl Tho cheers of
infantry neu greeted the shouts of cav
airy neu-While tAo lltle squad about
the artillery brave follows, with baad8
of rel uroa thuir uniforms, cried out, as
the defeated were seau dying ia STRICKEN
massHa lH FRONT,
"NuUu for Wt mu ry"
Anl Nlll misht tua lY.us YIgbu