Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-11-17
CADETS At NEW MARKET.
Their Magnificent Charge be
scribed.

scribed.
The following is taken from an ar'icie
I'm the Pittsburg Dispatch by Howard
Morton:
Opposite Is the enemys line OF gray
beiching forth fire and smoke. Ihose
Immediately in front Of us are compare
lively inactive. They have not YET
mended their broken fences. we look
10 the further end Of the rebel iine' Out
from an orchard steps small body OF
proy-clad troops. Something about
them attracts our attention. their narch-
ing and alignment are perfect, their STEP
Is unlike that of the veterans VINO
marched against our front. Their move
mcnts arc those of crack battalion on
dress parade They look like boys: the
strong glasses show that they are boys'
IL IS the battalion Of pupils from tne
Virginia Military Institute, 20 IN mum
Der. These little fellows. whose ages
range from II to Is years. drawn from
the best families of the Old DOMINION
have closed their books for The summer
vacatlon. hut instead OF returning to
their homes and making glad the near's
Of fond parents and brothers anu SIS
ters. were told TO take their cadet mus
kets and toin the army in the valley.
They have Just arrived and are eagerly
marching to their baptism or blooh.
War is cruel at best. but VINO can eN-
cuse the cruelty that risks such bright
young lives even i'm righteous cause
MOVING AS STEADILY AS NETE-
RAMS.
Opposite them. holding the right or
our life, is battery OF six Twelve,
FOUNDERS. Tie commander has observer
the cadet battalion and opened hre on
II The shells burst among the boys. but
,hey don't seem 10 he disturbed In the
least Forward towards the black mon
sters the line moves as though paradinS
on the smooth lawn OF the military
institute whence they came. PdhnSs are
being knocked from their fence, put
they close up and present an uhproheh
line.
We ask ourselves can they be 50 rash
az To charge the battery. II is com
moncine TO look that way. On, on. they
march. their line as straight ms q rue
more palings are knocked from the
living fence. ana repairs are made az be-
fore. but the fence IS shorter. lhey are
almost I'm canister range, surely they
will face Tout and retrace their steps
but no. the little heads bend lower as
thew face the iron storm. the little
muskets are grasped tighter as or, on
they rush. God have mercy on 'hehi'
The deadly canister sweeps through
their ranks, shorter and shorter grows
the line.
Heaven pity their poor mothers
whose prayers are even now rising TO
Heaven for their darlingS safety. on
that some plying hand would stttch
ont to stay them: but. on. on. on, they
march. right into the jaws OF the black
monsters: now they enter the smoke.
they disappear: the thunder Of six, great
guns Is sil-nccd; a juvenile shout -
heard. and the survivors Of that httle
band OF heroes have captured the pat
terry
BATTERY CAPTURED BY BOYS.
Scarce have we realized that they
are victors. until We find that they
manned the captured guns and turned
them down our lines. The supporting
line of rebel infantry dash across the
plain. with the blood Of four of these
young heroes.
ancmy. The rebel yell Is given az they
dash towards our dcmoraIiZed troops.
our right Is crowded back. the centre
waivers. We run our guns forward. and
by crOss-fring again check the rebel adj
vance on the centre. Back, back, swings
our right: confusion takes the place or
order. and We see our infantry hurry
ing to recross the Shenandoah. Batteries
Timber up and zallop back to take a new
posi;ion across the river The cavalry
and our battery are ordered to cover the
retreat We move over 10 the PIKE.
Dead and wounded thickly strew our
pathway. Carefully We move them to
one side or pick our way among them.
Fire in retreat. Fix prolongs' is the
order. The trail OF the gun Is attached
TO the timber by n rope. and. as wa re-
treat slowly in the direction OF the bridge.
we drag our guns with the muZ-
z'es pointing toward the enemy. loading
as we march. hating a second TO aim
and fire. and so retire, stnhbornly con-
testing every inch OF our Journey back.
The enemy seem TO have a wholesome
respect for us They have learned from
bitter experience that we are an ugly
foe TO face. and they hesitate TO make a
dash toward our black muzzles.