Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-10-19

hdlu lotIl 10 lie ioSo up ioi u look dICer re-
loading.
eve ought to got at least 20 more at
sch clus shootin," growled Tom in reply.
"Theyl II :ome ag'in, of course?"
"Don't be a DID fool, Ben. Dye think
the loss of 40 or 30 men would stop one of
our divisions from gittin somewhars? II
you feel tired and sleepy, you'd better ask
fur leave to go to the rear"
"Say, I don't want too much of yer
chin, old man!'
sob, you don't! WAL, you Jest tend to
fghtin and dyin and don't worry about
my chin. Better shet yer eyes this time
and see if you can't damage some of EN-"
That dash was a feeler to develop tho
strength defending the bridge and to see
if it was mined for blowing up. Around
the bend of the road they laughed at the
idea Of 100 men holding q division at bay.
Farther back the soldiers fretted and
fumed and officers cursed and swore at the
delay. Down on the left the battle was
already opening, and Death was sharpen
ing his scythe on the stone walls which
men of peace had built up 80 years before.
sect ready Fire at will!'
This time a column of 500 men, formed
ASh tN bNioltJ 'i ~ bhAS
bridge with ringing cheers, and though
the first four or five ranks went down 9th
ers lived to reach the earthwork and to
make a fierce fight for its possession. For
ten minutes there were shot and shout and
curse and groan, and then the bridge was
clear again-clear of all but the dead and
wounded. The veteran Ben was one of
the half dozen who started to cheer as the
nemy sullellly fell back, but Tom inter
rupted him with:
"What yer maxim u cussed fool of yer
self furp''
"We've licked EN- ag'in!''
clicked hell! If this wal don't end in
less'n three months, We won't kno"
huff to pound sand! The idea of yer
yawpin and whoopin over Il victory when
we've lost at least 20 men and when we
are sartin to be wiped out body and butes!
Look along the lines!'
Ben looked up and down the lines and
shiyered as he noted the dead and wound
ed who had fallen out. And now the enc
my deployed a force to the right, another
to the left, and the men crept forward to
the very brink of the rayine and opened
such u hot fire that no defender of the
earthwork could lift his head. Under cover
Of this fire a force formed up in the road
for a dash across the bridge. The captain
sent an order along the earthwork, and
each %crouching mar made ready to rise
up and fire when the critical moment
came.
"Say, this is gettin to be redhot!' ex-
claimed Ben as the bullets sent the dirt
flying over his head.
"Waal, we don't need any ice jest now!"
grimly replied Tom.
"We are goin to git licked on this deal,
old man.
"Not licked, hut wiped out. The orders
are to hold the bridge to the last, and our
captains the man to do it. Purity leetle
fight-mighty purity. Lots of heads will
git busted when we arise up to fire. Never
had a bullet through yer cokernut, did
ye?"
Ben did not answer. Just Their came
the order to fire at will, and as the mus
kets looked over the earthwork the enemy
cheered and dashed for the bridge a third
time. Over the rocks and bushes obstruct-
ing the road, over the wounded, crying
out, over the dead and over the blood
spots, and again they reached the earth
work and fought hand to hand.
."Guess they'll stay licked this time
growled Ben as the enemy fell back after
ten minutes fighting.
sob, We dol" sneered Tom as he jabbed
his bayonet into the earthwork to clear it
Of the blood. "Waal, of all the blamed
idiots in Grants army ye take the cake!
We've got about ten men left to hold q di-
vision, and ye are countin ON a vict'ry."
ItENbn,, xpbx, lny,3f mn ,,oEroofgIj
"Ag'in orders, ye old shell back. Here's
whar we die and over thar is whar they'll
bury US"
Now the enemy, maddened by the delay
and resistance, crossed men above and be-
low the bridge, and they were soon taking
the breastwork in rear. The captain was
down, his lieutenants were down-a cor
poral had command of the remnant of the
hundred men.
"What dye call this?' asked Ben as the
bullets began to come in from flank and
rear.
"Next door to hell, ~ replied Tom. "Face
about and see if ye can't hit a barn door,"
1--WE dropped a man every time I've
fired, a~nd-and''-
Scot yer dose, eh2 Wual, I told We it
would be a wipe out. Sorry fur We, old
man, but war would DO a picnic il nobody
was killed. Guess I'm the only one left,
and I'll go back and report"
And half IN hour later, wounded in the
arm and shoulder and hip, q powder
stained, dust covered old veteran appeared
before his colonel and saluted and said:
Company F, sir. Detailed to hold the
bridge above"
"Well9"
enemy forced the crossing half all
hour ago. Captain dead, lieutenants dead
all dead but mei'