The sun., 1893-08-13

| The brigade was In battle line ana waiting
| when we Of the Sixth got tho order to move
| by the right flank. Ten minutes later wo were
halted and the lines dres ed to tho right OF n
| battery throwing shells across the meadow
| and into the woods beyond. Not an infantry
man was to he seen in rear Of the guns. No
| infantry could be got therc. The Sixth had
been detached to support the battery. There
was hot fighting on tho right and left In front.
at the edge Of tho dark green forest, the ene-
my's cavalry was massing to charge the bat
terry. Tho smoke from tho guns was whirlcd
into our faces hot and strong. and as the horses
snifred it they reared and plunged and were
mad for the charge they knew was coming.
At intervals the smoke lifted and was swirled
away In patches. as fog is broken and dis
persed by the morning breeze. At such mo-
enemy was doing. Six guns were throwing
shells into his ranks as fast as men could load
and fire. but he continued to mass his cavalry
in the open, Only veteran troops could have
been held there, Ior the fire was murderous
Death. sickness. and detail had reduced the
force to 4S0 1t was pi!itul sight TO io2k
along the short lines and as then a across a, the
seven to one. | saw the gunners looking ut us
In wonder and dismay. and the troopers turned
and said good by. We were not to SUPPORT the
battery. hut save it If possible. by diversion.
" Attention,'
Through a rift in the smoke I saw that the
enemy was about ready to charge, His lines
had three times the front OF ours some oi the
Gunners wcro looking around them In u
nervous. panicky way. as II contemplating re-
treat before it WAS too late.
Most OF the horses had become SO excited
that the order could not be carried out Some
Of the animals were smelling powder for the
first time. and fear and impatience kept them
Al! Here we go 4 gust Of wind lifts the
sosse' goa nrlns', as we must. let qiSliaae.' and
hesSRS eheerns Iet at first Every trooper undersauds
the situation. We are being offered up rs n
sacrifice to save the battery and present a gap
In our battle lines. just MS we move out there
is great cheering over the news that infantry
are moving up. but we must strikea blow or
they will como too late -,
.'Trot GalIop! Charge"
There is ssd to tGsGh ho,sH w with
der m lotion. When we have covered a iurlSnc
bright sun Of a July day flashes from the steel
ing! Grip the reins with lrmer hand-brace
your feet anew-cease " cheering to shut your
had been broken in by the dash OF a mighty
wave. Troopers are pitched forward out Of
and kick and founder about No one can re-
member the M partieularIs lars q ha what followed;
Revolvers uaSn ana crack. SaDreS sweep ana
thrust. Horses collide and go mad with the
excitement The feeling is that the entire
body OF men is circlinG round and round. like
OF you are enemies. You slash at whatever
object you discern through the smoke and
dust. You hear tho notes OF the hugles-the
cheers OF men-the continuous pop OF re-
volverS-the curious screams which horses
utter whom wounded. None OF these sounds
is separate and distinct. but oil are mingled to
make one general babel.
We hays eut our way through. We have
disorganized the enemy and checked his ad-
vance. II tho buGles sound the rally. none of
us hear it. We make a half circle and get out
OF the smoke and dust: and then drive at the
mass from tho other side. The shock is not so
GTeRt this time but the fighting is hotter We
are checked: we drive ahead again: We seem
to bear of to the left Time is lost sight Of. No
one can say whether 1t is ten minutes or half
an hour before we emerge from the cloud
again and find curse YES to the left OF the bat
terry. and the guns fri ng grape and canister
There Is a tremendous yelling and cheer ing.
The infantry supports have come IN at last
and the musketry fire settles the questionable
enemy Is driven back.
A quarter OF an hour later tho firing ceases
along our front. and presently we get n view Of
the field. From tho muZZles OF the guns al
most to tho far edge Of the meadow the ground
Is piled thick with men and horses: We have
and sabre cuts. There Is no sabre without its
stain OF blood. no revolver with a cartridge in
the cylinder The old Sixth Is no longer
regiment but it made its record before it
passed away 1t saved the battery and per-
haps the left flank OF the army.