Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-09-21
BAY BILLY.

,T>WAS the last fight at Fredericksburg
4 Perhaps the day you reck
Our boys, the Twenty Second Maine
Kept Early's men in check,
Just where Wade Hampton doomed away
The fight was neck and neck.
Right stoutly did we hold the wing
'Gainst odds increasing still
Five several stubborn times we charged
The battery on the hill,
And five times beaten back, reformed,
And kept our column still.
At last spurred out from the centre fight
spurred up Generals Aid,
That battery must silenced bel''
He cried as pas he sped
Our Colonel simply touched his cap
And then with measured tread
TO lead the crouching lines once more
The grand old fellow came
No wounded man but raised his head
And stroye TO grasp his name,
And those who could not speak or STIR
God blessed him just the same.
For he was all the world to us,
That hero gray and grim
Right well he knew that fearful slope
We'd climb with none but him,
Though while his white head led the way
We'd charge hells portals in
This time we were not half way up
When midst the storm of she'll
Our leader, with his sword appraised,
Beneath our bayonets fell;
And rs we bore him back, the foe
Let up a fearful yell,
Our hearts went with him; back we swept,
And when the bugle said
Up, charge again!' no man was there
But hung his logged head;
We've no one left to lead us now
The suen soldiers said.
just then before the laggard line,
The Colonel's horse we sped
Bay Billy with his trappings on
His nostrils swelling wide
As though still on his gallant back
The master sat astridel
Right royalty he took the place
That was of old his won't
And with neigh that seemed to say
Above the battles brunt
How can the Twenty charge
III an, moi in from,
Like statutes we stood rooted there
And gazed little space,
Above the floating name we missed
The dear familiar face;
But we saw Bay Billy's eve of fire
And it gave us hearts of grace.
No bugle call could rouse us all
AS that brave sight had done
Down all the battered line we felt
lightning impulse run;
Up, up the hill we followed Bill,
And captured every gun.
And when upon the conquered height
Died out the battles hum,
Vainly mid living and the dead
We sought our hero dumb;
1t seemed as if spectre steed
To win that day had come
And then dusk and dew of night
Fell softly DER the plain,
As though DER mans dread work of death
The angels wept again,
And drew nights curtain gently round
A thousand beds of pain.
At last the morning broke The lark
Sang in the merry skies
As il to cen the sleepers there
1t babe awake and rise
Though naught but that last trump of all
Could ope their heavy eyes
And then once more with banners gay
Stretched out the long brigade;
TRINITY upon the furrowed field
The troops stood on parade;
And bravely mid the ranks were closed
The gaps the fight had made
Not half the Twenty-Second's men
We're in their place that morn,
And Corporal Dick, who yester-noon
Stood six brave fellows on
Now touched my elbow in the ranks,
For all between were gone.
All! who forgets that dreary hour
When as with misty eyes.
TO call the old familiar roll
The solemn sergeant tries;
One feels the humping of the heart
When no prompt voice replies
And as in faltring tone and slow
The last few names were said,
Across the field some missing horse
Came up with weary tread;