The Indianapolis journal., 1903-05-05


But the outliers closed upon our first line
in decent good order, firing as they could;
and In less time than IL takes TO write IL
down the onsweeping wave OF red was upon
the Carolinians. We looked to see the mill
tia fire and run, home-guard fashion; but
these men of Pickenss were made OF more
soldierly stuff They took the fire OF the as
saulting line like veterans, giving grouhu
only when It came to the bayonet push.
That fetches it to us" said Kichara,
most coolly; drawing his claymore when the
Carolinians began 10 come home like splnd-
rift ahead of the wave of red. Then he had
steadytng word for the men of his company.
and hearty shout and a curse Tor some OF
the Georgians who had cut around the
TANKS of our main to come at their horses
In the rear.
But the lads assertion that our time was
come was only half prophecy. The Mary
landers, with the Virginians on either flank,
stood firm. giving the onrushing wave
shock that went near to breaking Ii. But the
British were better bayoneted than we,
and when 1t came to the iron our lads
must needs give ground sullenly, fighting
their way backward as a stubborn assault
fights its way inch by inch forward.
Here come their reserves" said Dick,
pointing with his blade to a second red line
forming in the farther vistas of the wood.
Lord, shall we never get into it?"
Twas just here that an order sent by
Colonel Howard to his first company. direct
ing it to charge by the flank. came near
costing us rOut. The order was misunder-
stood-'twas received at the precise moment
of the upcoming of the British reserves
ing OF a leaf our entire fighting front gave
way, and what of the Georgians there were
left in the mellay made frantic dash for
the horses.
At this crisis John Howard saved the day
for us by shrewdly executing the most diff
cult manoeuver that is ever essayed by
field officer in the heat of battle. Suffering
his men to drift backward until the enemy,
sure now of success, were rushing on in dis
order to give the coup de grace, he gave
the quick command: ."About face! Fire.
Charge!'
| l saw the volley delivered in the faces of
| the redcoats at pixies length range; sawthe
Virginfans on the f1ankS bend TO encircle the
enemy; saw the rout transfer itself at the
roar of theimuskets from our side to the re-
coiiing British. Then heard Dicks shouted
command. Charge them, lads! they're sa-
bering the Georgiansr'
A section of Tarleton's horse had hewed
| Its way past our flank and was at work on
! At it we went, with our brave colonel a
horses length ahead of the best rider in
the troop, pistols banging and sword
sound you will hear only when the cavalry
engages-the heavy dunch of the horses
| coming together like huge living missiles
| hurled from catapults.
Twas soon over. and the enemy horse and
foot, were flying in hopeless confusion
| through the open wood. Our troop led the
| pursuit; and this brings me TO an incident
in which thy old chronicler-fguring in the
histories as an unnamed sergeant-had his
| share.
|
| Colonel Tarleton-a true Briton in this, that
| he would be first in the charge and last in
the retreat-was galloping with two of his
| aids in rear of the dragons. Since many of
| us knew the British commander by sight,
| there was a great clapping-to of spurs to
| Overtake and cut him off, In this race three
| horses outdistanced all the others; the great
| bayS ridden by Colonel Washington, a snap
| py little gray bestridden by the colonel's boy
| bugler, and my own mount.
When the crisis came, our colonel had the
1
| Colonel Tarleton to surrender at discretion.
| For answer the three British officers
| wheeled and fell upon him. Never was a
man nearer his death In Whit Tarleton
| was foining at him in front whilst the two
| aids were rising in their stirrups on either
| hand to cut him down.
Twas the little bugler boy who saved his
colonel's life and not the unnamed ser
geant," as the histories have it, Having
| neither a sword nor the strength to WELD
one, the boy reined sharp to the left and
pstoled his man as neatly as you please.
Seeing his fellow sabreur drop his weapon
| and clap his hand to the pistol wound, my
man hesitated just long enough to let me in
! with the clumsiest of upcuts to spoil the
muscles of his sword arm. This transferred
| the duel to the two principals, who were
now at 1t. hammer and tongs. Both were
good swordsmen, but of the twain our colo
mel was far the cooler. So when Tarleton
| made to end IL with a savage thrust in
tierce. Washington parried deftly and his
point found his antagonists sword hand
AT this, Tarleton dropped his blade-it
|
Washington's town house in Charleston
gave the signal for flight, and the three
| Britons, each with a wound to nurse
wheeled and galloped on. But in the act
| Tarleton snatched pistol from his holster
| and let drive at our colonel wounding him
in the knee, so we did not come off scathe-
| less.
This pistoling of Colonel Washington by
the British commander SKINNED little OF
the cream from our great and glorious VIC
tory. Twas no serious hurt, but wanting il
CHI rsl
down the flying dragons, adding them
and their doughty colonel to boot, to the
five hundred odd prisoners we took.
The battle fought and won-twas over
and done with two full hours before noon
Dan Morgan knew well what must befall
lacking the swiftest after-doing on our part
With Greene near hundred miles away
and my Lord CORVALLIS less than three
hours gallop to the southwark on Turkey
creek, the time was come for the hastiest
welding of our little army with that of the
general In command: If. indeed the prompt.
est running would take us to the upper
fords of the Catawba before Cornwallis
should intervene and cut us off
Accordingly, Jennifer and l were deta iled
to carry the news of the victory to Greene's
camp at Cheraw hill; and when we rode
away on the warm trail of the fying Brit.
ish, we left Dan Morgan's men hard at II
burning the heavy impedimenta of the can.
ture, and otherwise making ready for the
swiftest OF forced marches to the north
| 'Twould be a thankless task to take vo,
with us stage by stage on our cross-country
| gallop 10 advertise General Greene of the
victory at the cow pastures. Suffice IL to say
that we made shift to turn the head of the
advancing British main, now in motion ant
Fastening with all speed to cut Dan Morgan
off; that We were by turns we'll soaked b,
rain and stream, deep mired in bogs. cha sec
times without number by the enemy's ont
riders, and hard-shipped freely for food ant
horse provender before we saw the camr
on the Pedee All this you may figure fol
| yourselves. the main point being that w,
came at length TO the goal, weary miro
splashed and belted to the last buckle- -bo,,
| to pinch down the hunger pains but soInr
of skin, wind and limb.
| Having our news, which set the cspon 4,
. a pretty Juror of rejoicing, i promise yor,
General Greene lost an hour in making hi
dispositions. Leaving Isaac Huger and Col
, | Otho Williams in command at Cheraw th
general sent Edward Stevens with the Vir
i ginians by way of Charlotte to Morgan
|. | aid. and himself took horse with handfu
, of dragons, in which Dick and / were vol
; unteers. TO ride post haste to meetin,
, with Morgan at the upper fords
Again l may pass lightly over an interva
of three days spent hardly in the saddle
coming at once to that raiii-drenched 3Is :
of January, cold raw and dismal wher w
drew rein at Sherrard's Ford and foun
Dan Morgan and his safe across m
Catawba with his prisoners and nv Ior
> ! Cornwai;s quite as safe fiood-checked n
the western bank of the stream
I Having done our errand Dick and 7 re
ported at once TO our colonel. Twas Of
, piece with William Washington's goodnes
, | of heart to offer leave rest.
You have had weary work Of IL. | douh
e not gentlemen he would say. "Your tim