The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-06-05

British squares shattered sad >5. ppea,
the ground in front Ct them red with
the fallen. the officers shouting and re-
forming their lines, while cur own plow
lads, still as steady as the hills, We're
reloading their rifles with swift and
steady hands.
We cavalrymen raised great shout
of approval, which the regulars on the
rise IN front Of us took up and repeated.
A second volley was all that we had
asked from the militiamen, and it was
sure now. Even as our cheer was echo
ing it was delivered with all the cool
ness and deadly precision of the first.
Again the British line reeled and stop
ped, but they were veterans led by the
fiery Tarleton, and they came on third
time, only to meet the third of tl.ose
deadly yolleys, which swept down their
front lines and blocked the way with
their own dead and dying.
''The battle is won already shouted
Colonel Washington, and it's the
farmer boys of South Carolina and
Georgia who have won it!
Never did veteran troops show more
gallantry and tenacity than those same
farmer boys on that day: Two volleys
were all that were asked of them, yet
not merely once or twice, but many
times, they poured in their deadly vol
leys at close range, again and again
hurling back the British veterans, whc
doubled them in number and We're sup
ported by artillery and many cavalry,
while we old soldiers in the two lines
behind stood silent, not gun or sa-
Der raised, and watched their valor.
They retired at last, not broken, but
in perfect order and at the command of
Pickens, that we who stood behind them
might have the chance to do our part OF
the days work.
The smoke hung low in clouds and
half hid either army, British and Amer
lean. A brilliant sun above pierced
through it in places and cleaned on
clumps Of men, some fallen, some still
fighting. Shrieks and groans strove for
place with the curses and shouts.
Again rose the British cheer from
the throats of all those who stood, for,
the militiamen retiring before them,
they though5 it was battle won, and
they charged with fresh courage and
vigor, pouring forward in a red ava
lanche. But the regulars, the steady
old Continentals, who now confronted
them, received them with another vol
ley, and more infantrymen fell down in
the withered grass, more riderless horses
galloped away.
The battle had rolled a step nearer to
us, but we cavalrymen, who formed the
third line, were still silent and sat with
tight reins, while directly in front of US
rose huge bank of fame and smoke IN
which friend and enemy struggled and
fought. Even Old Put, with his iron
nerves, fretted and pulled On the reins
The long line of the British overlap
ped the Continentals, whom they out
mum bered three to one, and the general
whose gigantic figure l could see
through the haze Of smoke, ordered them
to retreat lest they should be flanlSed.
Again the British cheer doomed out
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 gallopeG toward us
waving his sword to Washington, and
every one Of US knew thas our moment
had come.
"Forwardr' was the single command
of our leader, and the reins and the sa-
bers 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 astcnished foe and poured
in volley at close range, while the
militiamen threw themselves IN solid
mass upon the British flank.
We of the cavalry were but so strong,
with so 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 ene-
my like the cold edge Of chisel.
We slashed into the British, already
reeling from the shock of the Continen-
tails and the militiamen, and they
crumpled up before US like dry paper
before a fire Our rifles were emptled,
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 fame
knew little that l was doing except
hack, hack, aud was glad Of it. l
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
to strike and keep on striking We
horsemen. 1870 strong, were still solid,
compact body, a long cleaning line like
a sword blade trust through the mar
row of the enemy We had cut our way
1.o.1x- 20 4,,o l,oo-.t of rho E,DUll SIi