Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-08-04

had flung her down Che bank with ire
mendous force, and as he came back
over the road with Clusters men he ex-
pected to find her lying there dead,
Nothing was to be seen of her, however,
and his mind was greatly relieved. In
her fall, as was afterward known, the
woman's head struck q stone, and the
skull was fractured. When she strug-
gled up, she was no longer sane. She
had been wandering through the forest
for hours before she appeared on the
battlefield, but she encountered no one
and found no shelter. Never was there
| a more gallant deed than that performed
by Steve Brayton, and never was hero
more heartily applauded by friend and
foe. He galloped his horse straight at
the woman, and as he came ND to her
he leaned over In the saddle, caught her
with both hands, and next instant she
was on the saddle before him, and the
horse was flying back to the Federal
lines. The woman fought and screamed,
and fragments of bursting shell whizzed
and whirred around and above horses
and riders, but they dashed into tho
lines unhurt, and the gallant .escuer
was directed to continue down the road
until the woman could be placed beyond
danger.
Turn quick to the south! You will
never see grander spectacle than this.
The Confederate command, divided into
three divisions, with double lines dressed
as if on parade. has received the order
to advance. They had waited for Custer
to charge, but the chevalier was also q
stIategist. His artillery, being better
served, was creating the most havoc,
and he could afford to delay. Look !!
Look! As the gray horsemen begin to
move Clusters guns, which have been
grouped in front OF his center, Timber
up and move at gallop-four Of them
1.-TWO to the right and two to the left.
In three minutes they are on his TANKS
and loaded with Grapeshot and canister.
The Confederate battery does not follow
the example, and as the horsemen move
forward the guns are useless.
"Trot! Gallop! Charger
You hear the bugles sound the order,
and you see 1900 sabers flash in the
sunset as 1000 horsemen thunder over
l
even TO recklessness. Before the horses
are off a-trot the murderous grapeshot
are knocking them down by dozens, and
as the artillerists change to canister
1000 Federal carbines also open fire.
Rally! Reform! Forward!''
Above the roar of cannon and mus
kerry you can catch the notes Of the
bugles, and as the smoke lifts here and
there in spots the eye can detect the
gray horsemen seeking to obey the calls.
They do rally. They do reform. They
do push forward under that terrible fire.
but only to be broken up and swept
aside. The Federal artillerists get the
order to cease firing, the crackle of mus
kerry dies away, and five minutes later
the smoke has drifted off, and the eye
can scan the plain. Beaten, broken,
slaughtered, and yet the gray horsemen
are trying to rally again!
| Now is the moment, and Custer has
waited for it. Only the dead and
wounded are left behind as he moves
out, as his entire command sweeps
straight across the plain and falls upon
the broken and disorganized enemy.
They rally here and there by the score
and meet the shock. They fight singly
and by twos and threes. Men wait and
die rather than run away. Brave men,
all of them-men whose deeds will be
spoken of around our campfres for years
to come. The only criticism will be
that they did not have leader equal to
Custer in the murderous art of war.
Il NiUbf hos folIar onI t1a {;yb 60 x-a~
There are prisoners to be guarded,
wounded to be cared for. dead to be
counted for the official report and spoils
to be gathered up. The clouds have
driven away to the east, and the canopy
of heaven is studded with bright stars
There is no moon, and the blood spots
on the snow gradually fade away and
are lost to sight.
Hark! That sound is the CRY of
wounded men blended into one great
wall for succor. 1t is freezing cold, and
they are in torture. Hank again! That
grewsome sound rising at intervals
above the wailing comes from the
wounded horses. They are also begging
and pleading. Some are limping about
among the dead and wounded men as il
seeking their masters, pausing nos and
then to rub their cold noses against a
body, while others are lying down and
lift their heads only to utter whinny
which tells of fright and pain. Thank
God that night and darkness come to the
battlefield to hide its horrors! In the
darkness we shall search out all the
wounded. out We shall not be forced to
look upon the mangled dead-mangled
by shot and shell and grape and the iror
hoofs of the charging horses until re.
semh!ance to humanity is lost and one
; cries out in horror.
CHAPTER Xxx.
While the fight was raging the house
and quarters" were both in flames