Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1894-03-08

I
THE CAVALRY CHARGE.
men knew not of themselves that they
were afflicted. They saw it in others
others saw-t in them.
Here is a regiment of cavalry on the
left. On the right is battery, with in
santry supports lying down Beyond
the battery infantry are lying behind
n breastwork. Beyond them there is
heavy fighting We have been sitting
on our horses for an hour or more. We
have lost Ave or six men and as many
horses by stray bullets and fragments
Of she'll 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. II
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
Gweat starts out on the neck, the eye
IF 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 neclzs. A
dig Of the spurs would render them I'M
.ontrollable. 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 would beg that some one else
be selected And yet am apparently
suffering that mental and physical
agony endured by a constitutional
coward Ny teeth chatter. My chin
lulvers. | feel so weak in the knees
that know should fall down IL out
Of the saddle. / am trembling from
head to heel and my breathing is
hoarse and labored. Is it fear? No,
II does not occur to me that 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 as a dead man
the one on my left shakes like man
with the ague 1t is so with all the
others. We are waiting.
Attention."
"Ah! that's a relief to both men and
horses! A body of the enemys cavalry
appears on the edge of the forest. Each
man draws a long breath. The sus-
pense Is broken.
DRAW saber,"
Better and better! My teeth no
longer chatter, but I find my jaws hard
ehut. The fingers gripping the hilt of
nv saber have found their strength.
can feel my horse pulling himself to-
gether under me.
"Forward-trotr'
At last we have something to do! The
enemy is forming to charge the
battery. We are moving out 10 fail
upon him. The terror has vanished.
feel the strength Of giant in my
sword arm, and my horse moves as II
on springs.
''Gallop-charge- hurrah-'rah,''
Five minutes ago one might have
looked us over and decided that we
were regiment Of poltroons waiting
for a chance to bolt to the rear There
are no laggards as we charge. Every
man is using the spur-every voice is
cheering. We are laundering on to Ger
tain death for some, but there is no fear
no care. With naked sabers flashing
in the cloud of dust-with every horse
at full gallop-with every trooper bend
ing forward in his saddle. we strike the
enemy as wave rlshes against O
shore, and only brave men viii 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 a longer fight-curse our
own officers for checking the pursuit
beSore It led US into ambush and ami
hilation, That was to be expected.
Tremor comes before the charge-ex-
ultation after it. The soldier has no
control over either.-Detroit Free Press \
The oldest son Of a veteran in the
United States is said to be John Z.
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 bv
President Lincoln John E Mills. his
son. enlisted at the outbreak Of the
war. and had three sons who enlisted
with him. 50 that three generations Of /
the family saw service at the same time
in the rebellion