Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1894-02-26

Master Ralph, youn have a redskin Tor
your target today"
"Pm readyr cried the excited boy,
land the sooner the better"
At this moment Lieutenant Davis and
the scout rejoined the party, and the Off
Ger, mounting his horse, turned TO his
men and said:
"Men, the Indians are over there, 500
yards from the crest OF the ridge. There
are S5 OF them, but they are not expecting
an attack, and intend To crush them at a
blow. They seem TO be well 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. l want
no prisoners-the band must be wiped
out. IL will be good lesson to the rest
OF the tribe. And now, kafph," coDtin-
ued the officer, turning to his young COM
panion, "ride near me, and keep your po-
ny 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
commando
"Forward, men-trot" and the troop
moved steadily up the ridge.
As they reached the summit sudden
commotion among the Indians told that
they had been seen. Now was the time for
action, and the lieutenant, rising in his
stirrups and riding to the head of his men,
with Ralph on one side Of him and the
scout on the other, cried:
Forward Open orderi Chargep
AT the command to charge Ralph put
the spurs to his gallant pony and dashed
along by the lieutenant's side in a 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-
BILE fear spread over his face, and turning
quickly TO the officer he uttered cry that
sounded as II his young heart were break
ing:
"Oh, I cannot-I cannotr"
As the words left his lips he turned his
pony obliquely to the right and galloped
away out of the track of the rushing troop.
Fifteen minutes later 30 dead Indians,
35 captured horses and two dead troopers
told the story of that short but terrific
struggle.
Leaving Sergeant Wilson in command
of his men, Lieutenant Davis rode rapidly
back up the hill in search OF Ralph. Just
beyond its crest he saw Firefiy 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, 80 minutes before,
was burning with the fire of battle. Con
vulsive 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 brav-
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
the dauntless courage and brilliant deeds
of Ralph Dahlgren have added to the glo
ry 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 a 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
seen him cool, fearless, intrepid, even in
the hottest blasts of battle, can hardly be-
lieve the story Of his "baptism Of fire. -
ID. Is. Waggoner In Philadelphia Times