Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1893-06-17

~Sso-=-(C&5 Ori'tA
THE CAVALRY CHARGE.
men knew not of themselves that they
were afflicted They saw it in others
Others saw it in them
Here is a regiment of cavalry on the
left. On the right is battery, with in
fantry supports lying down. Beyond
the battery infantry are lying behind
a breastwork. Beyond them there is
heavy fighting. We have been sitting
on our horses for an hour or more. We
have lost five or six men and as many
horses by stray bullets and fragments
of shell. When we were wheeled into
position here men were joking and
laughing. We have not been under
fire, but the suspense has been eating
away at the nerves. We know why we
are here. The enemys right flank is
opposite us, sheltered by the woods. 1t
is flank against flank. We are watch
ing each other. The horses catch the
tremor first They champ their bits
and foam at the mouth. They toss
their heads and paw the earth. The
sweat starts out on the neck, the eye
of every animal has a sullen, baleful
look, and here and there horse either
tries to lie down or rears up and paws
the air. We speak to them soothingly
and kindly and stroke their necl<s. a
dig of the spurs would render them un-
controllable. A harsh word might ex-
cite them to fury.
| am not afraid This is my ninth
battle. have been twice wounded. /
have been promoted for bravery in the
face of the enemy If the colonel
should ask me to ride to the rear with
an order l would beg that some one else
be selected. And yet am apparently
suffering that mental and physical
agony endured by n constitutional
coward. My teeth chatter. My chin
qulvers. / feel so weak in the knees
that know should fall down if out
of the saddle. 1 am trembling from
head to heel and my breathing is
hoarse and labored. Is it fear? No
1t does not occur to me that l am in
the slightest danger. The suspense has
simply relaxed my nerves and my mind
cannot control them. The trooper on
my right is as pale-faced rs dead man
the one on my left shakes like man
with the ague. 1t is so with all the
others We are waiting 6.
Attention."
,Ah! that's relief to both men and
horses! y body of the enemys cavalry
appears on the edge of the forest. Each
man draws n long breath. The sus-
pense is broken.
Draw saber!'
Better and better! My teeth no
longer chatter, but find my jaws hard
shut. The fingers gripping the hilt of
my saber have found their strength. I
can feel my horse pulling himself to-
gether lnder me.
"Fcrvard-trot!'
At lass we have something to do! The
enemy is forming to charge the
battery, We are moving out to fall
upon him. The terror has vanished.
feel tie strength of a giant in my
SWORD. arm, and my horse moves as if
on srrings.
.'Ciallop-charge- ge-hurrah-'rah!"
Five minutes ago one might have
looked us over and decided that we
We're Il regiment of poltroons waiting
for chance to bolt to the rear. There
are no laggards US we charge. Every
man is using the spur-every voice is
cheering. We are laundering on to cer-
tain death for some, but there is no fear
no care. With naked sabers flashing
in the cloud of dust-with every horse
vt full gallop--with every trooper bend
ing forward in his saddle. we strike the
enemy as wave 'rushes against a
shore, and only brave men will be lying
dead when the melee is ended. Afraid?
Why, man, those of us who return to
the flank curse the enemy that he did
not give us longer fight-curse our
own officers for checking the pursuit
before it led us into ambush and ami
hilation! That was to be expected
Tre,nor comes before the charge-ex-
ultation after it. The soldier has nc
control over either.-Detroit Free Press.
THE ''oldest son of q veteran" in the
Urited States is said to be John H.
Mills, of Bradford, Mass, who is sew
enty-nine years old. His father, who
was principal musician in the First
United States infantry, though nearly
eighty years old when the war broke
out, was assigned to active duty, and
was commissioned second lieutenant 10y
President Lincoln. John Il. Mills, his
son, enlisted at the outbreak of the
war, and had three sons who enlisted
with him, so that three generations OF
the family saw service ut the same time
In tho rebellion. :,