The Press., 1895-01-24
(From Theron Browns tLlfe songs.O THE BATTLE OF DRURY'S BLUFF

Wet with the tears of the sky, and wet
 with the breath of the river, Wet with the drench of the swamps, .. where they tramped thro' the hOr- 'o' rible ooze,
 Wet to thes skin, thro' the creeks they
 had waded with feverish shiver, And miles of the mud of old Chester stuck
 waxy and wet to their shoes. Satire of Sabbath day rest! No church
 bells rung them to meeting; Never prayer that Sunday they heard, nor sermon, nor psalm, Only the shout of the captains, and near < or and nearer repeating, .,., Random shots of the skirmishers, sound q. ing the battle alarm.
 Tired. to the heart of. their strength with
 pfodding OCT low-land and high.
 land, i. Silent they halted ssat night on the dark
 wooded bluffs of the James; Sodden and soaked and freless, no bed
 nor meter of dry land To lie on and nibble their hardtack, while
 waiting the call of their names. CampedT in the hurry of danger, they s crouched on, their guns till the
 morning, ]. Under the drip of the trees in the mist
 that smothered the shore, browsing with heavy eyes, but ears awake
 to the warming
 Crashed from the picket rifles in front :oi
 the old Tenth Cofps. .>:- Half-past four in the dawn. Hark! the
 bigger wardogs are snarling! That was the bark of hoWitzer-that
 was the shriek of she'll; To your feet every man of you! Up!
 They are sallying out of Fort Oar
 ling, And Heckman's banners are bent witf
 the wind of the rebel yell. Louder! land fiery and short was the tug
 of the true and the traitor; Brave men broke on the right where the
 battle was sudden and sore, Where the foe swarmed out of the fog
 like f1ends from the reek of crater And blue met gray in the forest and min
 gled.in blood on the shore. Down like 8 whirlwind they came, and
 the cannon are silenced that facee
 them.-
 Where are the New York squadrons? anc
 where are the cohorts of Maine P Down on the bold Twenty-first in th'
 trenches where duty had placed
 them,
 Alone of a host that with valor had bat E ~,v+ j tied for glory in vain. -rs Did they run-that Connecticut thousand
 Did they cover like game to b' f.. !.' ! oAton.' '',,,a Left with one wing in. the air, forlorn il ... the sweep of the fray? No. 1a6c fnn0h V0nkpo natal thny
 didn't know they were beaten; And Johnnies come never so, many, the,
 stood like wall in the way. "Steady!" cries Burpee; and ghastly
 with gore and grimy with powder, Breastingl that tempest of death, they darted their volleys of fire, .., All thro' the murk of the morn, while thu 1.. terror. grew thicker and louder, They stayed there determined to fight O
 sink in their tracks in the fnire. ~ Seel gallant Stanton is struck! On thu right brave Sheppard is bleeding! And the foe in the might of their number surge on like the surge of the sea, Slaughtered, but still three to one, o'e their fallen they trample unheeding And rage at the handful of Spartans wht never surrender or flee. Blotted and blear came the sunrise. Tn Ftelouds that damrnedn dnp t9edaylight Rolled with the smokeF dfS thss ttle owe the bold little band;
 | And under that horror whose shade n ad winter gloom of the May light, The rebels have crushed on their flank >.-,; sTheysare heroes, but how can the, stand?
 "Front to the rear on the center !" The bent like door on its hinges, Sternly in serried square, two-faced t the terrible strain, I Like Casar's t'elbow of battle" ,whe '' ,,%: x: ' Trapped by the nak ed tTulinges, And pushed by the wild old Swiss on tn r.: r. ,. s'@ hfllsist the.springs of the Seine EEieht;. o'clock r.. .Min the fight yneve F.. :;.,.cease,2 Will 1t turn to d slaughter tlNhare that worm regiment, struggles ..1'..; How long pnst they struggle alpp I Frontfhg a. whole brigade lin blood an jsl brimstone aldlWater- lNp shouts of relief from behind, no trumI H., ct to rally them blown Only an orderly rode on the scene, peerin at them and round them, Herman, with aPectacled nose, and erie
 as he cantered away, ~ Brace up, boys Hold them back
 a minute old Gilmore will poun them.
 The rebels will turn on their tracks, an | leave you the field andfEie day" @ =