Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1893-09-09


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, for
the fire was murderous. The Sixth
should have had one thousand men.
Death, sickness and detail had re-
duced the force TO four hundred
and eighty. 1t was a pitiful sight to
look along the short lines and then
across the meadow at the force opposed
five, six or seven to one. | saw the
gunners looking at us in wonder and
dismay, and the troopers turned in
their saddles and shook hands right
and left and said good-by. We We're
not to support the battery, but save it,
if possible by diversion.
'Attentionr
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 of the gunners
We're looking around them in a nervous,
panicl1y way, as if contemplating re-
treat before it was too late
Right dressr'
Most of the horses had become so ex-
cited that the order could not be car
ried out. Some of the animals We're
smelling powder for the first time, and
fear and impatience kept them rearing
and phinging about.
Ah! Here we go gust of wind lifts
the smoke, aud on the other side of the
meadow the lines are moving. The
guns suddenly cease firing, as we must
left oblique,' and thereby get in
front of them. There is no cheering
at first Every trooper understands
the situation. We are being offered
up as sacrifice to save the battery and
prevent gap in our battle lines. Just
as we move out there is great cheer
ing over the news that infantry are
moving up, but we must strike blow
or they will come too late.
''Trot! Gallop Charger
There is no need to touch a horse
with spur. Each and every one is
mudly wild for a dash into the mass
ahead. That mass is moving toward
us-a great wave just getting under
motion. When we had covered fur
long, men begin to cheer and wave
their sabers. The cheering runs up and
down the lines, and the bright sun of a
July day flashes from the steel blades
into the eyes of the enemy 1t is COM
ing Grip the reins with firmer hand
-brace your feet anew-cease cheer
ing to shut your teeth hard for the
shock!
There is a crash as if the side of
long shed had been broken in by the
dash of n mighty wave. Troopers are
pitched forward out of their saddles;
horses stumble and so down. and kick
and founder about. No one can re-
member the particulars of what fol-
lowed. Revolvers flash and crack;
sabers sweep and thrust; horses collide
and go mad with the excitement. The
feeling is that the entire body of men
is circling round and round, like an OBJ
ject caught in whirlpool All in front
of YOU are enemies. You slash ut what
ever object you discern through the
smoke and dust. You hear the notes of
the bugles-the cheers of men-the
continuous pop of revolvers-the Curl
GUS screams which horses utter when
wounded. None of these sounds are
separate and distinct, but all are
mingled to make one general babel.
We have cut our way through. We
have disorgani2ed the enemy and
checked his advance. If the bugles
sound the rally none of us hears it. We
make half circle and get out Of the
smoke and dust and then drive at tn
mass from the other side. The shock
is not so great this time, but the fight
ing is hotter. We are checked; we
drive ahead again; we seem to bear off
to the left Time is lost sight of. No
one can say whether it is ten minutes
/. or half an hour before we emerge from
the cloud again and find ourselves to
the left of the battery, and the guns
firing grape and canister into the con-
fused and disorganized enemy There
is tremendous yelling and cheering.
The infantry supports have come up at
last. and the musketry fire settles the
questionable enemy is driven back.
A quarter of an hour later the firing
ceases along our front, and presently
we get view of the field. From the
: muzzles of the guns almost to the far
edge of the meadow the ground is piled