The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-03-22

many Indian wars, what do you th1nk?'
'sWe've got 'em, sir" replied the old
trooper. with a flash of his eye "The
smoke betrayed 'em. That settlement
whisky must be in 'em yet, or they would
rot have been so bold with their cookin,
and no lookout either. Tain't often we
catch EN- nappin like this. But here comes
the leftenant. There's work before US.
Master Ralph, you'll have a redskin for
your target today"
tsI'm ready!'' cried the excited boy,
land the sooner the better"
At this moment Lieutenant Davis and
the scout rejoined the party, and the Off
COZ. mounting his horse, turned to his
men and said:
ssMen. the Indians are over there, 500
yards from the crest of the ridge. There
are IS of them, but they are not expecting
An attack, and intend to crush them at a
blow. They seem to be we'll armed, but
they are now dismounted, cooking and
eating. AS soon as you reach the top of
the hill you will deploy in open order and
rush on them like an avalanche Reserve
your fire until you are at close range, and
then each man pick out his mark. want
no prisoners-the band must be wiped
ont. 1t will be a good lesson to the rest
OF the tribe. And now, Ralph" contin-
ued the officer, turning to his young COM
paaion, 'sride near me, and keep your po-
M well in hand Don't fire until you can
do so with effect, and at short range use
your pistols"
Without waiting for Ralph to reply the
lieutenant wheeled his horse and gave the
commands:
forward, men--trOtp' and the troop
moved steadily up the ridge.
AS they reached the summit sudden
co,nmotion among the Indians told that
they had been seen. Now was the time for
gction, and the lieutenant, rising in his
sti.rups and riding to the head of his men,
with Ralph on one side OF him and the
scout ON the other, cried:
Forward Open order! Charged"
At the command to charge Ralph put
the spurs to his gallant pony and dashed
along by the lieutenant's side in & tumult
of enthusiasm little short of wild. Not
more than half the distance to the point
OF attack had been passed, however, when
a sudden and remarkable change came
over the boy. The pallor of uncontrolla-
bic fear spread over his face, and turning
quickly to the officer be Wttered a cry that
Ing:
sob, cannot-I cannotW
AS the words left his lips he turned his
pony obliouely to the right and galloped
alyay out of the track of the rushing troop.
Fifteen minutes later 35 dead Indians,
SIS captured horses and two dead troopers
fold the story of that short but terrific
struggle.
r WiJcor, in ror, md
of his men, Lieutenant Davis rode rapidly
hack up the hill in search of Ralph. just
beyond it's crest he saw FREELY standing
motionless under an empty saddle, and
beside the well trained pony, lying prone
upon the grass where he had thrown him.
self, with his face buried in his hands,
was the poor boy who, 30 minutes before,
was burning with the fire of battle. Con-
valsive sobs shook his young form as he
gave way to an agony of grief and shame.
The lieutenant needed no explanation.
Every soldier knows that some of the BRAY
est men have been The victims Of sudden
and overpowering fear the first time they
were exposed to fire, and the officer felt
his heart warm with pity for the boy,
whose modification he witnessed.
Many years have passed since then, and
tile GaunuleSS courage anu DTl1lldHo uCouS
of Ralph Dahlgren have added to the glo-
nv of a score Of battlefields. General Or
ders have become familiar with his name,
and it now stands high on the roll of the
regular army. If he had been soldier
under the great Napoleon, he would have
worn all the brilliant decorations of that
warlike age and perhaps the insignia of
a marshal of France. Those who have
L. II it,fr in,
the hottest blasts of battle, can hardly be-
lieve the story of his Baptism of fire. -
ID. b. Waggoner In Philadelphia Times.