The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1896-11-19

may then realize the loftiness of devo-
ton to. duty actuating those heroes as
they rode or marched to their doom. IF
the men engaged in bloody forlorn hopes
were to be themselves always, in case
of success, the gamers of the glory of
the achievement, the fortitude with
which they accept martyrdom would
not be so remarkable.
AS rule, the sacrifices are in a sense
vicarious. The immediate fruits of a
victory so dearly bought pass to others.
In the famous Death Ride" of uhlans
at Mars-la-Tour twas to save divi-
sion Of infantry that the cavalry charged
home. The infantry was in danger Of
humiliation by the French cannon
while it was marching to seize :. road
way and cut off the escape Of the French
from Metz. Far off ON the right was
heavy fresh battery, awaiting with load.
ed guns to NOW down the German bat
talions. An order was given to the Bis
marck cuirassiers and the ANmarcS
lancers to charge those guns There was
no mistake about it, as at Balaklava.
In the three squadrons Of troopers rode
900 men. Their task was to beat back
the French, fall upon their guns and
bring confusion upon the lines at any
cost. The impetus Of the charge was ter
rife, and the uhlans broke through the
batteries, sabering the gunners. They
next dashed at the infantry in the rear.
At that point French cavalry division,
standing at arms, burst among the brave
uhlans. About one-half of the charging
column cut their way back to the Ger
man lines, and the most of those were
wounded. In the three squadrons only
100 officers and men rallied around the
colors.
At Charlottesville Major Ieenans
battalion Of Eighth Pennsylvania caval-
ry rode forward against Stonewall Jack
sons solid lines, bent upon immol alton
in order to gain time for the Union bat
teries to wheel and unlimber. The
troopers rode in columns Of tours.
keenan, and two officers who rode beside
him in front, also several men, were
shot down at the first voIley. The rear
files galloped over the dead horses and
men, making a wide circuit through the
enemy's solid ranks. And war seldom
calls for more exalted daring than that
displayed by Farnsworth's 800 at Get
.tysburg in their ride Of nearly mile
under fire into the enemy lines, abreast
Of the muzzles Of his cannon and
through solid lines Of his alert infantry.
It was done under protest, yet bravely
executed according to orders. Farms
worth was killed while cutting his way
through regiment of infantry with
only so sabers at his back.
And now, since the crown must be
awarded, reluctantly pass over the he
roes who did all that was possible for
mortals and more than could have been
expected, even in men of Spartan mold,
and turn to body of American soldiery
who surpassed all others simply because
the opportunity was the greater. The
scene was Gettysburg, the hour crisis
in the second days battle after Sickles'
defeat. While Hancock was patching
up line on the flank and rear of Sic
kles' broken columns he saw, through a
rift in the clouds of battle smoke, Will
cox's brigade of Confederates marching
boldly upon an exposed Union battery.
The First Minnesota stood behind the
guns, the only Union troops in sight.
With a sweep Of his hand toward the
charging column and its menacing red
battlefags, Hancock exclaimed to the
leader of the regiment, Colonel Col
vile, advance and take those colorsp'
The situation was one that every man
in the ranks could understand. In plain
English the order meant: $50, you
brave Minnesotans, and compel the enc
my to lose a few minutes time in
slaughtering you! Well do the rest. -
There were 262 men and officers present
that day, and the Confederates confront
ed them with whole division, Wilcox
in the van. Shot and shell and the bull
let's from thousands Of muskets on the
Confederate reserve swept the field to
clear the way for Willcox's advance.
At every step some Of the Minnesota
braves went down, but the survivors
held their fire, advancing with bare
bayonets. Their first volley was deliver
ed at arms length when the tanks Of
Willcox's line closed around them.
With one wild, frenzied dash of hand
full in front the Confederate colors were
seiz~ Before Wilcox could rally his
alst nc n followers the Union batter
les ,3e,-cd upon them. The crisis on
Cemetery Ridge was over, but the First
Minnesota was gone. Forty-seven men
rallied ON the return. Seventy five were
dead or dying and 140 wounded None
was missing, for not a soul surrender
ed; neither did man among them
dodge the ordeal nor quit the fire smit-
ten ranks. Where is the parallel of this
in history?
The First Minnesota lost 80 per cent
killed and wounded. At Antietam the
First Texas (Confederate) lost S2.3 per
cent killed and wounded in one attack
and retreat, but it went in in line Of
battle, well supported at the time OF
the onset The Light brigade lost 49,
per cent; Wayne's forlorn hope at Sto-
ny Point, "a per cent; the Sixteenth
Prussian infantry at Mars-la-Tour, 40. 4
per cent; the Guarde-Schuetzen bat
talon at Metz, 461 per cent. At terri
BILE Plevna the Twenty-sixth Russian,
storming Notifications manned by hordes