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

when they saw the regulars giving
ground, for now they were sure that
victory was theirs, though more hardly
won than they had thought. But the
retreat OF the regulars was only feint
and to give time for the militiamen be-
hind them to come again into action
General Morgan galloped toward us,
waving his sword to Washington, and
every one of us knew that our moment
had come.
Forward IL was the single command
OF our leader, and the reins and the sa-
oers swung free as we swept in semi
circle around the line of our friends
and then at the enemy At the same
moment the regulars, ceasing to yield,
charged the astonished foe and poured
IN volley at close range, while the
mllltiamen threw themselves in a solid
mass upon the British flank
We of the cavalry were but 80 strong,
with 90 more mounted volunteers be-
hind us under Major Mccall, but we
were compact body of strong horses
and strong horsemen, with shortened
rifles and flashing sabers, and we were
driven straight at the heart of the enc
my like the cold edge of chisel
We slashed into the British, already
Keeling from the shock of the Continen-
tails and the militiamen, and they
crumpled up before us like dry paper
before fire. Our rifles were emptied,
and the sabers were doing the silent but
more deadly work Amid all the wild
din of the shouting and the musketry
and the blur OF the smoke and the flame
knew little that | was doing except
hack, hack, and | was glad of it. /
could hear steel gritting on bone, and
the smell Of leather and smoke and
blood arose, but the smoke was still in
my eyes, and | could only see enough
20 strike and keep on striking We
horsemen. 1870 strong were still solid,
compact body, long cleaning line like
sword blade thrust through the mar
row of the enemy. We had cut our way
directly to the heart of the English
army, and their broken squares were
falling asunder as our line of steel
dashed and tore. The red army reeled
about over the slopes like man who
has lost power over his limbs. l struck
at trooper cn my left, but he disap-
peared, and second trooper on my
right raised his saber to cut me down |
l had no time to fend off the blow, and |
In one swift instant expected to take
my place with the fallen, but long
muscular brown neck shot out, two
rows of powerful white teeth inclosed
the mans sword arm, and he screamed
aloud in pain and fright
Do you surrender" l cried.
Yes, yes, for Gods sake, take him
OFF, he shouted. II can fight man,
but not man and wild devil of a
horse at the same timel''
Let him CO., said to Old Put, and,
the horse unclasping his teeth, the man
gave up his sword
The smoke was lifting and clearing
away somewhat, and the fire of the
rifles had declined from a steady crackle
to jets and spurts. A dozen Of the mill
tiamen had seized one of the brass field
pieces of the British, and Howard's Con-
tlnentals already held the other Every
where cries of Il surrender, surrender
Quarter, quarterr' arose from the Brit
lsh horse and foot. who were throwing
down their arms to receive from us that
quarter which we willingly gave, but
which the bloody Tarleton had SO often
denied to our men ,
could scarce believe what | saw.
The whole British army seemed to be
killed. wounded or taken. The muskets
and bayonets, the swords and pistols.
ratified as they threw them upon the
ground Whole companies surrendered
bodily An officer, his gay uniform ]
'plashed with mud and blood, dashed
past me, flashing his horse at every
Jump 1t was Tarleton himself, and be- ]
'ind him came Washington pursuing
With all his vigor and lunging at the
ieeing English leader with a bayonet ,
astened at rifles end. He returned
'fter awhile without Tarleton, but there
vas blood on his bayonet. Tarleton,
hough wounded in the shoulder. escap-
a through the superior speed of his
orse, to be taken with CORVALLIS and
he others at Yorktown.
The general raised his sword and
RED to us to stop firing and striking.
II the held was won and the battle 1!
as over, and he spoke truly. Far
way showed the red backs of some of
le English fleeing at the full speed of II
lelr horses, but they were only few.
ID almost their entire army lay upon -
10 held, dead and wounded, or stood %
ere our prisoners. The defeat that SO Is