The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-01-09

balls and fragments of metal. Just
as the column thickened close along
the ditch, the gunner, with steady
hand, lowered the piece so that the
dreadful charge would rake the Level
surface of the ground and fired.
Never, perhaps in the history of war
fare was there another so destructive
shot. The historians tell lwhat is
too incredible even for romance) that
two hundred British soldiers were
killed outright by the storm of lead
and iron, that one blast of the breath
of war!
The whole front of the charging
column had melted down.
Peevy still stood on the breast.
work, peeping through the battle
smoke, trying always to aim at some
particular one of the enemy before
firing Mary Ann.
Pakenham had been given another
horse, and although one of the scouts
bullets had hit him, he mounted and
went to the head of the column once
more to reform it. But he was
doomed. A grape-shot dashed him,
dying, to the ground.
General Gibbs took command.
Peevy saw him and signaled him out
for his aim.
Mary Ann was merciless. Officer
after officer fell. Down dropped
Gibbs; over went Keane; Dale fell
dead; indeed, it seemed that no man
who undertook to lead the columns
could escape those special messages
of Mary Ann when directed by the
imperturbable aim of the scout.
So the battle went; the British re-.
coiled, plunged forward, tumbled in
bleeding heaps, broke, rallied,
charged again and again. That little,
muddy ditch, with its slippery banks
and slow, dark tide, was the line OF
death. No man crossed it and lived.
At the last desperate moment, O
man, superbIy mounted, was seen
calling together the bravest spirits of
the English army. He rode like q
king; his face was as cold as marble
and yet scintillant with magnetic
energy.
General Jackson leveled his old
feld-glass upon him and actually re-
coiled.
"That scoundrelr' he exclaimed,
and his bronzed aud jaundiced visage
showed a sudden excitement. "a
renegade, by the eternal!"
Vasseur saw the new leader and
leaned over the breastwork to gaze at
him. So attracted was he by the ap-
partition that he forgot his fear.
Mr.. Vernon looked and turned pale.
The enemy's line reformed, the High
landers in front, and came on again,
this time with a ready sweep that ap-
peared resistless.
Peevy was still at his stand, reload
ing Mary Ann as calmly as if he were
going to shoot squirrel.
"He air a long ways off, Mary
Ann," muttered he, "but we mus
re'ch i'm. ole gal!''
He lifted the rife and took deliber-
ate sight over the long barrel. The
sharp report was'lost in the general
roar of the fight. Had he missed?
There was Nc sign to the contrary.
"Pierre Rameau! Viola! See! It's
Pierre Rameau!" screamed Vssseur.
dancing around wildly.
General Jackson came almost run
ming along the line, the white foam of
excitement fringing his bloodless lips.
"Shoot that eternal, internal scoun-
drel for me, Peevy!" he shouted,
pointing his long, emaciated finger
toward. the new British leader.
"Shoot him! Kill him''
"Thet airs jes' wat I tole Mary
Aun," replied the scout, priming his
rifle.
Jackson snatched up en- old musket
that had been flung down by some
one and aimed it. It snapped harm
lessly. He dashed it aside with furi.
GUS emphasis and stood gazing in
stark anger.
On came that steady, shining line,
the regiment of Highlanders stepping
all as one man.
"Blow 'em up" yelled Jackson.
"Shoot that oficer Everybody aim
at him! Do you hear? Shoot that
man on the horse!'
"Thet's the doctrine wat I'm
er preachin' ter Mary Ann," respond
ed Peevy.
Vasseur was 30 excited that he for
got to prime his gun, and, when at
last he did prime it, he had rammed
home three loads, and 30, when he
fred. it almost kicked him over. He
thought he was wounded in the shoul-
der. He cursed in three languages,
The horseman rode right up to the
ditch and waved his hand to signal
the charging troops to cross it.
Peevy fred. The mans right arm
fell to his side; but he took the bride
reins in his teeth and waved his hat
with his left hand.
"Shoot that imp, tell you, Peevy,
shoot him!"
iTo RE coNTTNUED.l