Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1892-10-08
WAR "REMINISCENCES.
EFFECTS OF A CHARGE.

A Cavairyunn's Sensations While In |
Action.
A regiment, brigade or division of in
fantry may charge at run, but the
movement is ,as often made at steady
step. so the alignment can be maintain
ed nearly perfect. With cavalry it is
always -gallop-charge! There
is therefore an excitement about it that
puts the fear of death away. Cavalry
in waiting may exhibit signs of nerv-
BUSINESS, and the faces of men will grow
pale and fingers clinch more tightly,
but when the advance begins those
Same pale faces flush with excitement,
and every man feels like cheering and
does cheer.
1t matters not what you are charging
against-lines of infantry, battery or
masses of cavalry-thcre is no mental
figuring on the result. You feel your
self a part of n living wave, which is
bound TO roll on and on and overwhelm
everything before it. This result does
not always follow, but you forget that
A charge of cavalry has been complete
ly checked by two or three murderous
vollcys but no such instance occurs to
your mind as you grip your saber and
feel your horse strong and steady under
the saddle.
What are the thoughts of a cavalry
man as he charges? 1t would be hard
for him to answer. He does not always
know what he is riding at. The lines
may have been facing the west, where
the enemy was visible at the edge of
a wood or behind fences n long way off.
A danger threatens which even his Off
GERS with their glasses have not seen.
An aide rides up, delivers an order and
the lines wheel to the south and go
rushing away as if the fate of the battle
depended on the few hundred men.
The smoke may float about so rs to OBJ
scure the vision, or the field in that di-
rectaon may be perfectly clear-it's all
the same to the riders. He is listening
for the further notes of the bugle; per-
haps having some trouble with his over
excrted horse; looking at the earth i'm
mediately in front to guard against
ditch or log or stump.
He can not tell whether he has gal
loped eighty rods or full mile. Bull
lets are whizzing about his ears, but
there Is no ducking and dodging.
The scream of shell comes to his ears
duoNo lIlc uitl Vi Ullt CluERC, ouS oOCS
not wonder if it is in line with him. 1t
may explode to his right or left and
blot ont three or four men and horses,
but no simply hears the explosion and
does not turn his head to ascertain
whas attended.
Of q sudden n mass of cavalry appears
before him. They were quietly moving
around for a charge on the flank, and
this movement is to check them. They
were marching by fours, but have
wheeled into line, and there is some
confusion among them. He has only
observed this and heard the shouts OF
their officers when the shock take:
place After that no man can say wha'
really happens The horses meet heat
on. Scores of them are knocked down
If You are in the front rank you may b,
tumbled out of your saddle by sho
from a revolver, your horse dropped un
der you by bullet in his brain, or yol
may strike your enemy and roll hin
over and then go down after him. l
You are in the rear rank the hors,
ahead may stumble over some obstruc
ton or become one himself, and it i
nine chances to one that you are un
horsed.
1t is melee, riot, free fight afte
the collision. The smoke speedily oh
scures, all formation is lost and frien,
aud foe are sounding bugle calls at tn
same time. You are there to strike-t
wound and to kill. The entire mass o
cavalry seems to be circling to the righ
or left 1t is sometimes so, but yo
would have the same idea if advancing
or retreating. You fire your revolve
Mt the half-hidden figures before you
you may fling it at some of them whe
it is empty. You may be thorough
up in saber exercise, but you will us
only the down cut in the melee.
How long has it lasted? You hav
no idea. What has happened? Th
enemy has retreated, overpowered an
defeated, and all ct once you recogniz
the rally" call of your familiar buglt
The troopers rally, horsed or unhorset
lines are reformed in a confused way
and presently the smoke thins out unit
YOU can see the field over which yo
have fought Wounded men limpin
and crawling about-horses gallopin
wild and furious, or dead or wounde
on the carth-dead men here and thel
until the number is over one hundred.
The lines move back at walk t.
ward our original position. Horses al
painting and men inclined to be hy
terical Within ten minutes you ca
not find face which does not sho
pallor-a trooper who is not tremblin,
That's reaction of charge into IL
jaws of deuths.-M. Quad, in n.