The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1901-05-02
CHAPTER XI.
THE BATTLE.

tn6 SHOWING OF Olu FuC'S cold nose
which said as plain as speech, rise
my master, and prepare for the enc
my" Most of the other men were up
and the camp cooks had breakfast ready,
bread, meat and coffee | threw off my
blanket and began to eat with the 9th.
ers.
1t was the misty region between
night and day, but the scouts had come
in telling us that the British would
soon be at hand, and by the time the
breakfast had been dispatched the rim
of the sun appeared in the east, and the
day was coming. Then the general
formed the line of battle, and each of us
took his appointed place,
On the first rise of the slope stood the
South Carolina and Georgia militia the
raw troops in a line about sixth of a
mile long, under the command of the
iron nerved Pickens They were ex-
pected to give way before the charge of
the enemy, hut Pickens was ordered to
hold them in line until they could de-
liver at least two volleys with the pre-
cision in firing which all these farmer
boys possessed. Then they were to retire
behind the v. teran regulars, under How
ard, who were on the second slope 100
yards in their rear. An equal distance
behind the second rise sat we cavalry
men on our horses, commanded to pull
on our reins and wait the moment upon
which the fate Of the battle should turn.
Thus stood our little army, awaiting
the rush of the battle which, as | have
said, was to be one of the most impor-
tant and decisive of our war. | stroked
Old Puts neck and babe him be cool,
but he was as calm as | and needed no
such encouragement The man on nv
left, Dick Patterson, Marylander, sud
denly whispered:
Don't you hear that faint rumbling
noise, Phil? That's the hoof beats of
cavalry"
Silence there - called the colonel.
No one spoke again; but, bending nv
ear forward, could hear the far drum
OF the horses hoofs, and | knew that the
English army was coming. Old Put
raised his head and snuffed the air A
red CLEAN appeared upon the horizon
and broadened rapidly A thrill and a
deep murmur ran the length and breadth
OF our army
Oh, II those militiamen will only
stand until the general bids them re.
tire - groaned the colonel.
That he believed they would not I
knew, since it is a hard thing for new
men to stand the rush of a seasoned
army superior in numbers and eouip.
ment
Inc sun was just swinging clear of
the earth and betokened a brilliant
morning, yet it was cold with the raw
damp that often creeps into a South
Carolina winter, and for one wished
that the men could see little more Of
the day and loosen their muscles a little
better before they fought.
The whole British army now appear.
81 III the plain, cavalry, infantry and
ieldpieces in a great red square.
could plainly see the officers giving
heir orders, and l knew that the attack
would come i'll few minutes.
Eleven hundred of them and no raw
roops' said Colonel Washington. 1--WE
Know that exactly from our scouts.
mink our cavalry will have something
% do today "
one officer, Ill the gayest of uniforms
took to be the barbarian Tarleton. the !
5rltlsh leader whom we hated most of |
III. for, with all his soldierly qualities.
10 was barbarian, as most of his
'rother British officers themselves saw /
wanted to see the faces of those
armer boys down there on the slope
Vno were to receive the first and fiercest
usn OF the enemy and to check it,
new that many of them were white to
he eyes, but their backs were toward
ne, and | could not see.
They don't appear to move. " whis.
cred Patterson. Their line looks as
rm as if it were made of iron. "
Like untempered iron, guess. 81
eplled- break like glass at the first
not. -
"A ougie sounded in the front of the
rltish lines, and it's notes, loud and
fellow, came to us, but from our ranks
Use only the heavy breathing and the
lu1nlng OF men and horses.
Ihe trumpet call was foIlo,,,oa -