The times., 1897-09-19
A Veterans Boy-Chuln.
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hind that fence, and the seventh is off by
the right-w 10 get in behind that grove
/ amt much on tactics myself but IN Eeb
ten 10 five that it won't be ten minutes be
fore the old Sixth gifts the word TO charge.
The fields is clear o fences and bitches.
ani after we git started wen go dustin
ainng like a hurricane. Ye won't funk
ON me. Joe?"
No Won't funk" replied the 10y,
though he caught his breath at every word.
silence, there." called an officer, aa
he caught the deep growl OF the veterans
voice.
silence. be daInned,r muttered Cor
man. be gave a brief look over his
shoulder Il guess this boy wants 10 learn
| about cavalry charge, ana guess its my
bizness to talk to him. Now, Joe, wen
soon git the word. When we start, get a
sood grip OF the reins, brace yer feet wen
in the stirrups, and cont pull yer revolver
till We sTnasbes into EN-. If anybody
cuts at ye, dodge him If We kim ride over
anybody that1i help a leetle. Yell a. hard
as ye kin, and II yer hoSs goes down. lie
flat beside him. Thar's the bugIei''
The Sixth formed two ranks front, th1
! lines dressed. and then came a minute of
waiting The rebel cavalry was shifting
out from behind u barn and an orchard.
at the far end of tile long meadow In tbs
blue Ranks the men We're cursing below
their breath. aud the horses chaInping at
their hts. German looked his tOy -churd
over again, and leaned over TO whisper
Custer will ride at the head OF the
line, and itll be hotter'n hell when we
smash into EN-. Give yer boss his head
when we git the word 10 charge. Sit Up
| a leetle straighter. That'sIt Yer IeIt
hand VIII hold the reins-so Cad. bny.
bat ye ar takin' it a cool as most Jf EN-.
I'm feelin' proud OF ye.''
Forward" called the bugle, and then
''trotF' 'gaIIopr' and ''chaFgei'
Nine hundred horses swept up ths. green
meadow. and 9G0 troopers were cheered
by those left behind. 'steady-dress 70
the rights eadyI' cautioned the officers.
as the pace grew faster. Men and hOrses
Were equally eXcited-the one teady ta
shaut and slash and CCt-the other pulling
at the reins 10 get ahead OF the line
As the order 10 "Charge," ran along
the lines The spurs went III deep. a
ye1 broke from every troopers throat,
and the living wall swept forward viii 4
momentum which nothing but a solid vstH
c5uld cneck. Hip. hip, nip, as nine
hundred sabers cut the air, ana nip hap,
/ hip as the gray lines closed up s1IisIy
L. meet the crisis.
Now, Joe, straight at em. and may
God keep yet" shouted the veteran, IA
they were within twenty feet Of the
rebel lines.
Next instant there was d crash, r9I-
lowed by shots, shouts, screams aud
the ring of steal. Fifty horses in the
froat ranks Of frieGd and f0' were
knocked dCwE and their riIers tram
pied under fG1t- Then the lIankS syl....
ia toward the center, all or,ier aud
alignment was lust. and uad and
desperate mob u 2,O11 mea began
circltnS about common Center and
hacking, siashing 4nd shooting as they
eircled.
Keep 1ius, Jue-keep clus 70 me-
I shouted the veteran ahoyc The din OF
hattie; and hext instant he F9>, IN lis
stirrups and slashed al an eneIns who's.
/ stber point was within a foot Of tis. boys
throat, and split has head from crown to
cIrin.
Round and 'rognd circIed the mob, al
Most hidden from sight by the smoke and
dust, the blue slasmng at the gray, the
gray slashiug hack. 50, with a yell aAd
curse and scream OF pain for ten inmates,
+ and then the body began To break up and
dissolve, and presently only the dead anI
woBude1 were left on that acre ~ two
\ 5 the troopers IN blue rode slowly back
| TO tine supporting iine % re-foril once again
one uf them carried the body Of d dcadman
or the saddle beside him
Who you bringing ofre'' demanded IN
officer s he rode up.
'My boy chum,' replied the trooper.
lis he dead2'
Dead as a nail. l saw him fall, and
| got of To lift him up"
~ hat the devil are you bringing Oft
! private for, aud dead Ut that p shouted
the officer in a rage.
He was joe, Sii-my chum-Only boy
| II was his first fight, and I said I'd ser
him through Look, sir. This is MS re-
volver, and thar amt a bullet !eft in it,
| Iie didn't flunk, ar-he died game -
CHARLES P.LEWIS.