The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1901-03-08
CHAPTER XII.
THE BATTL.&.

THE BATTI@.
was awakened In the morning BY
the showing of Old Puts cold nose,
which said as plain as speech, "Rise,
my master, and prepare for the ono.
my" Most Of tho other mon were up,
and the camp cooks had breakfast ready,
bread, meat and coffee | threw Off my
blanket and began TO cat with the 9th
ors.
1t was the misty region between
night and day, but the scouts had como
In, telling us that tho British would
soon be at hand, and by tho 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 VI
took his appointed place.
On the first rise Of the slope stood the
South Carolina and Georgia militia, the
raw troops, in line about sixth Of a
mile long, under tho command Of the
iron nerved Piokens. They were OK.
peoted to give way before tho charge Of
the enemy, but Pickens was ordered to
hold them in line until they could do.
liver at least two volleys with the pre-.
boys possessed. Then they were to rotire
behind the veteran regulars. under How.
ard, who were on tho second slope 150
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 tho moment Hpon
which tho fate of the battle should turn.
Thus stood our little army, awaiting
tho rush Of the battle which, as have
gaid, was to be one Of tho most impor.
tant and decisive Of our war. stroked
Old Puts neck and bade him be. cool,
but he was az calm as and needed nu
suoh encouragement Tho man on my
left, Dick Patterson, a Marylander. sud
denly whispered:
Don't you hear that faint Yumblina
noise. Phil? That's tho hoof bsats Cd
cavalry"
"silence thereP' called the colonel.
No one spoke again; but, bending my
ear forward, could hear the far drum
Of tho horses hoofs. and r knew thes the
English army was coming. Ola Put
raised his head and snuf4ed the air. A
red CLEAN Appeared upon tho horisas
and broadened rapidly. A thxiIl and q
deep murmur ran the length BaqA braade6
Of our army.
ooh, il those militiamen will en4y
stand until the general bids theln 70,
tiref" groaned tho colonel.
That he believed they would nos !
knew, since 1t rs hard thing fer new
men to stand the rush OF o seasoned
army superior In numbers and equip.
ment.
The sun was Just swinging clear oi
the earth aud betokened o brilliant
morning, yet 1t was cold with tho raw
damp that often creeps into South
Carolina winter, and for one wished
that the men could see little more oa
the day and loosen their muscles O little
better. before they fought.
The whole British army now appear
cd in the plain. cavalry, infantry aud
fleldpieces In a great red square ]
could plainly see the officers giving
their orders, and knew that tho attack
would come in q few minuteR~
"Eleven hundred Of them and no raw
troops," said Colonel Washington. 1--WE
know that exactly from our scouta
think our cavalry will have something
to do today"
One officer, In tho gayess of uniforms
took to be the barbarian Tarleton, the
British leader whom we hated most Of
all, for. with all his soldierly ,qualities
he was q barbarian, as most of his
brother British officers themselves say.
| wanted to see tho faces OF those
farmer boys down there on tho slope
who were to receive tho frat and fieroeat
rush Of the enemy and to oheck"it.
knew that many Of them were white to
tho eyes, but their backs were toward
mo, and l could not 500.
"They don't appear to move" whis.
pered Patterson "Their limo looks as
firm as if IL were made Of iron.
Like untempered iron, guegs,
replied-"break like glass at tho FIRST
shot,"
A bu8ie sounded in the front Of the
British lines, and Its notes, loud and
mellow, came to us. but from our ranks
rose only the heavy breathing and the
shuffling Of mon and horseA
The trumpet oall was followed by o
cheer, from moro than a thousand
throats, and then the British rushed
upon us Tho brass ffeldpieces on their
flanks opened with the thunder that be-
tokens tho artillery. and mingled with
their roar were the rattle Of tho small
arms, tho throb Of the drums and tho
olamcrous hoof beats Of their numerous
cavalry.
gAs faos Of their Sed linz bisasa Mtth