Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-04-11

hotter and musketry, to which as yet We
| made no return. was added TO the artil-
| Ierv nre we had 10 bear. At last we
! reached the river and plunged In; the
| hanks on both sides were high, but Nigh
| eat on the farther side, and high enough
when we were down In the river to pro-
tect us from the intolerable IRE OF the
enemy. and for a moment we were In
safety. / confess that here l hesitateh'
and could not at first force myseif 10
mount the bank. The captain OF my COM
pany had already fallen, 30 there was no
officer TO notice ny movements closely,
hut I knew IL was impossible to stay there
long. and that / was setting a very bad
example to my men.
lust at that moment / caught sight OF
! Charlie; he was up on the farther BANK
encouraging HIS men to scramble up ana
como on. / saw him look at me, and
surprised and puzzled expression came
over his face. 1t was enough; l would
rather have died a hundred deaths than
have lost Charles good opinion, and up
[ went and cbeered on my men. AGAIN
we advanced in tolerable order. but the
fire of the enemy was more severe than
| ever now-heayy musketry. and the artll-
lery firing grape; our men were falling
| last ON all sides, though We were reply
| ing TO the FIRE. IL was more than L could
| hear. and | shook so that L could hardly
] hold nv sword In despair looked again
| for Charlie, and again l saw him bright
and CHEEKY as ever, trying to encourage
his men--the next moment l saw him
| fall.
The effect on me was instantaneous;
| fear was absolutely gone; rage. fury, and
an intense desire to avenge my comrade
| had taken it's place. Our men were
i ban Iuo might
their numbers were terribly thinned, and
| Il was evident that. till they werS 6oined
! by the supports. which were fast coming
| on, they were not In sufficient numbers
! 70 take the redoubt that was in our
/ front. rushed TO the front and called
upon them, IL they were Englishmen, to
come on and drive the Russians from
/ the redoubt; and, being Joined a minute
afterwards by the second line, all ruu1-
ed on together, the remains OF my
company keeping close together and
near to me. Where we were advancing,
we outflanked the redoubt; so we passed
It. and, wheeling round, entered by the
gorge while others were climbing over
| the rough parapet. Then ensued "A fierce
| hand-to-hand fight, in the midst OF
| which a burly Russian made a strong
\ thrust at me with his bayonet. l par
ried the thrust with my sword, with a
/ strength that seemed perfectly irresisti-
| bic, and getting within his guard, ran
| him through the body. l remember even
! now. with horror, the force with which
/ the hilt OF my sword struck against the
poor fellows ribs; but at the time there
was only a feeling of stern joy that one
/ man at least had paid the penalty for
poor Charles fall. The Russians were
/ driven out of the redoubt, and fled in
confusion for two or three hundred
| Yards; then their officers succeeded in
rallying them, but they made but
doubtful stand, aud 1t was evident even
! TO my inexperienced eye, that nearly al
| the fighting was knocked out OF them.
They stayed long enough. however, for us
once more to get up TO them, and again
well ahead OF my men, ! plunged into
their midst, but not quite alone, for close
by my side was Private Jones. In
| deed. the good fellow had been sticking
| close to me all day. intent upon nothing
/ hut saving my worthless life, and during
this last fight no did save II by knock
! ing aside the musket of IL Russian Just as
he was pulling the trigger
This second fight lasted scarcely min
ute but / believe L again used my sword
with deadly effect. / had loaded re-
volver in a pouch at my belt, but never
| used II. never even thought of 1t. The
| RuSS1anN
I'm utter disorder, but we could not pur-
! sue them closely, as an order was passed
| along our front to halt and reform the
ranks. 1t was time. We were nothing
| but an armed mob The ranks being re-
| formed. we again advanced, but by this
! time the Russians had disappeared over
the crest Of the hill, and We saw no
| more Of them till we gained the TOP.
| Then, indeed we saw them at some dis
! lance. but to our surprise, they were re
firing again in good order. We exchanged
! n Few volleys with them till they were
out Of range, but were not allowed &c
pursue them farther-the battle or the
Alma was over.
As soon as there ives any chance OF
my request being granted, l asked leave
(not, indeed, Of our dear old colonel "h1
was lying grievously wounded at the
bottou of the hill. but Of the senior cap
tain. who now commanded what was letl
of the regimenO to fall out and look FOL
moor Charlie, IS / had still some faint
hone that l might find him alive. He said
he had TO authority to let anybody fal
ont hut he could not refuse request
made by an officer who had led his men
"a well as [ had, and he hoped l should
fnd the poor fellow alive, and not much
hurt. Led his men as well as l had
little no knew of all that had happened
I hurried down the hill, past the dread
full redoubt, full Of dead and dy-
ing and then a little farther on l found
him-dead-lying On his back, with one
arm stretched upwards, as IL appeaNhl
to Heaven against being thus cut on
in all the 10y of youth ana strength
his bright. curly hair dabbled In blood
his moor ewes open. He had not ever
the peaceful expression that many mef
have when suddenly killed In battle
death had not come soon enough, anc
he had had time to realize the horror
of IT, The sight fairly maddened me.
closed his eyes and composed his limbs
and then. cursing war and the rulers
who brought IL on US, 1 staggered bach
10 my regiment, L know not how.
That niaht L was struck down Will
cholera and remembered nothing more
tin | found myself being landed al
Scutari. The cholera left me alive bu'
so utterly broken down in strength ina
the doctors decided that my only cnahc'
OF life was 10 be sent home. According
", 1 was shipped off to old England
and many long, weary months pdsse'
while the struggle between ne sn'
death went on. AT last healtn ah'
STRENGTH gradually returned. but by th'
Tina was fit for duty the Crimean wal
was inst over. Accordingly, l availec
rnvself OF the opportunity OF resignini
NV commission without dishonor, as
had come to the conclusion that soldier
ing was not my vocation.
private Jones IS now my head gardener
He loves his master, he loves his MOWERS
and Is the best servant i ever mad
rEp WHILE UICYCLlNG.