The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1901-04-05


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
ican. 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
a 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 thought 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 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 flame 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
numbered three to one, and the general,
whose gigantic figure | could see
through the haze of smoke, ordered them
to retreat lest they should be flanked
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 galloped toward us,
waving his sword to Washington. and
every one of us knew that our moment
had come.
"Forward!' 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 astonished 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 slasked 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 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. 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
4 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
lashed and tore. The red army reeled
about over the slopes like man who
has lost power over his limbs. I struck
at trooper ON my left, but he disap-
peared, and second trooper on my
right raised his saber to cut me down.
/ had no tilue to fend off the blow, and
in one swift instant expected to take
my place with the fallen, but long
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" cried.
Eyes, yes, for Gods sake, take him
off !" he shouted. II can fight man,
but not man and wild devil of
horse at the same timep'
14OO BOy " S1u w, uAuf
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 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-
tinentals already held the other. Every
where cries of 81 surrender, surrender
Quarter, quarterW arose from the Brit
ish 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.
l 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
splashed with mud and blood, dashed
past me, lashing his horse at every
jump, 1t was Tarleton himself, and be-
hind him came Washington pursuing
with all his vigor and lunging at the
fleeing English leader with bayonet
fastened at rifles end. He returned
after awhile without Tarleton, but there
was blood on his bayonet. Tarleton.
though wounded in the shoulder, escap-
ed through the superior speed of his
horse, to be taken with CORVALLIS and
the others at Yorktown.