Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1902-07-03


their swords more in unison. Had
they not, some of them would not have
been in condition to annoy the Russian
gunners much. Ours was a sort Of Gu
mulative flash; it was literally a long
drawn out effort. The boys had learn
ed to draw their sabers quickly on foot
drill or parade, where the scabbard
was partly raised by the left hand as
the right hand sought the grip, but the
saber of the mounted trooper hangs as
low as the straps will allow, and as
we never had been drilled while
mounted many of the men nearly fell
from their saddles while leaning to
the left in n frantic reach for their
sword hits.
Captain Bright" roared our battal-
ions major, an officer in whom | had
not previously taken any interest, not
seeing where his usefulness came in,
"why are some Of your mems sabers
undrawnp
"You rascals," screamed the captain,
facing his horse toward the flank of
the company, "why don't you draw
your sabersW
81 can't get down to mine," said
Brainard, answering for himself His
arm, like the remainder of him, was
quite short. 81 don't believe | can
reach it unless turn somersault."
Take your bride in your right hand;
draw your saber with your left; now
change hands; the rest Of you do the
same. There? the captain yelled.
MAKE haste, captain" said the ma
Jor. You're opening distance badly
between you and the company ahead
OF you by being so SLOW"
"Trot, March, the captain ordered
in a nervous Shrek.
Off went the company, but not all Of
II went off in the same direction, for at
least one man in every three had never
felt horse trot under him, so two or
three fell off their chargers before we
had gone a hundred yards. Others re-
tanned their seats fairly by grasping
the horn of the saddle with the bride
hand and trying to seize the pommel
with the other. But a sword is as
Several had to choose between giving
up their rear hold and losing their
sabers Some did the latter, preferring
present safety to future possibilities.
Among these unfortunates was Brain
ard.
The major dropped back to the rear
company, for which / was profoundly
grateful. 1t wasn't pleasant to think
Of any one, even a member Of our own
regiment, observing all that was oc-
curing in our company during those
few moments. Men who were not ac-
customed to riding were bouncing
briskly in their saddles and looking as
wretched as the poor fellow who came
In wounded the day before. Mick Nc
Twyny lost his temper, blamed his
horse for everything and, turning to
the roadside and halting, began to
pound the poor animal with both fists
and kick him in the fanks with his
spurred heels, proceeding which the
brute resented by leaping suddenly
forward and tumbling his rider into
the road. The lieutenant, who had
CHANGED to look backward, turned and
threatened to saber Mick then and
there unless he at once remounted and
acted like a soldier instead Of a DON
key, and Mick returned the threat, up
on which the lieutenant, using his
saber as a paddle, gave Mick a tre-
mendous spank, and Mick swore an
awful oath, which he chewed to ex-
treme laceration as he uttered it, that
he would get even with the lieutenant,
and the lieutenant promised to give
him season of arrest In which to
think up his vengeful plan.
Meanwhile another man bit the dust,
for my horse stepped on the heels of
his file leader, who had slackened his
pace suddenly. The injured horse
reared his hind quarters to kick, and
over his head shot his rider, breaking
his fall by rolling between two horses
In front of him. A similar fate befell
several other men, who, trying to
brace themselves by holding their bril-
die reins tightly, curbed their horses
so severely that the animals halted
.. ! l
seemed to me they must be trampled to
death, but 1t was impossible to halt
and ask questions or offer any assist
ance.
During these scenes Of humiliation
my heart was strengthened somewhat
by the demeanor Of our couple of sur
vivors of the historic charge at Bala-
klaVa. Each rode as steadily as If he
and his horse were one. Neither man
looked to the right or left, but straight
ahead, and each carried his saber as il
on parade. l afterward told Cloyne
about this, and he said:
"Why not? They did nothing but
drill from the time they first enlisted
I'm England and charge isn't half as
hard TO go through as a regimental
drill of mounted troops"
Soon the major was on our flank
again, shouting:
Captain Bright, what has become of
your company? There's only about half
of ii In the ranks"
The captain, who had ridden for
ward to close the gap between him and
the company in front, fell back and
looked along the column, which had
lost oil regularity Of formation. Then
he screamed:
Lieutenant, why have you let so
many men fall out, sir?"
The lieutenant commanding the rear
platoon had been getting ahead Of his
proper position. He turned his horse,
looked toward me and roared:
where's the sergeant Of the left of
the liner"
"You ordered him TO remount several
minutes ago, sir" l replied.
"And he hasn't returned to his post?
Then twas your duty as noncommis-
stoned officer to keep the men from
struggling to the rear"
This sudden and new load of respon-
sibility seemed more than | and my
horse could carry, but | afterward
learned to bear similar infections bet