Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-11-01


peated the performance. Ere the
echoes of the discharge had died away
among the hills, the third rank sent its
sheet of destruction in the face of the
advancing men. The field was covered
with thick smoke. The English could
see nothing. For a moment no reply
was made to them. Then q scattered
fire, confessing weakness by its feeble
ness, ran along the French line.
Again and again the deadly discharge
Of the English was poured out The
French seemed to be making no re-
ply at all. Presently there was
slight respite and the smoke cleared
away, revealing horrid picture of
carnage.
The crest Of the hill was covered
with bodies. Most Of the horsemen
were down. Montcalm and one or two
officers were striving desperately to
reform their men. The Canadian mill
tia. unable to stand against such a
fearful fire, had melted away. The
French grenadiers, the white-coated
regulars, were rallying in bewildered
little knots here and there upon their
officers. The French advance was
completely barred. Now was the mo-
ment to strike.
"The picture?" said Wolfe to Graf
ton, who was standing by him. "You
have it?"
Here"
"Remember-and goodbye, old
friend. Now, gentlemen" he cried,
"let us go at them. Forward"
Like a common soldier the young
general, sword up, face smiling. put
himself at the head Of the Louisburg
grenadiers. The French had at last got
into some sort of order, rallying in
thin, broken, and exhausted lines.
Their courage was superb. They saw
death in the advancing mass OF the
British infantry, but they did not
waver. The battle was lost to them;
they would strike another blow at any
rate.
1t was the English who cheered now,
the French. had passed the cheering
stage. This time it was they who
poured their Volleys into the advanc-
ing British. The execution done
among them was fearful. A bullet
shattered the wrist of the general He
caught a handkerchief about 1t and
pressed on. A second shot hit him,
but still he did not falter. A third
bullet struck him full in the breast;
he staggered a moment and fell. With
fierce yell for revenge his army
swept by him. A last volley from the
French and bayonets crossed in the
smoke.
Wolfe, in the rear Of the line, was
down and dying. It needed no sur
geon to translate the look Of death up
on his face. Grafton knelt by him and
took his hand, tears streaming down
his face. TheApath Of glory was indeed
ending here. Others quickly assem-
bled where the soldier lay bleeding to
death on the field.
"The battle" whispered the dying
man. "Tell me?"
"They run! They rum" cried
Grafton, rising and surveying the
field.
"Who rum" he asked, eagerly open
ing his eyes and looking up at his
friend from where he lay in the arms
of the surgeon on the grass, stained
red by his own blood.
"The enemy! The enemy! They
give way everywhere"
go, one of you, to Col. Burton,
said Wolfe, smiling weakly, "and tell
him to march Webb's regiment down
to the st. Charles river to cut of their
retreat from the bridge"
It was the last thought Of a soldier
his duty. He sank back in the arms
of his attendants.
Philip, filled with grief, dropped on
his knees beside him. Wolfe opened
his eyes again for a moment.
"Philip," he whispered, remember
the picture-Quebec-" He turned on
his side. "Now, God be praised" he
murmured. 81 will die In peace"
There was a fierce struggle going
on all over the field. The French
were dying hard. Grafton ran along
the line to inform Monckton, the Sec
ond in command, Of Wolfe's death.
He found that brigadier desperately
wounded, and then ran over to the
left flank to carry the news to Town
shend, the second brigadier.
Aided by heavy skirmishes in the
wood, and by the fact that Townshend
was compelled to refuse his lines, the
battle had been more flercely contest
ed here than elsewhere. A squadron
Of cavalry, the only party of horse on
the field, which had been sent scout
ing by Bougainville, suddenly ap-
peared on the flank, and charged furi-
ously down upon Townshend's men.
They gave way. That general had
started for the center of the army
when Grafton told him the sad tidings,
and at his request the sailor hurried
to the extreme left flank.
Without thinking that he was left
by the temporary retreat
OF the English soldiers, Grafton sprang
forward to meet the cavalry. He
brought down the first horseman with
his pistol, but the second struck his
cutlass from his outstretched hand,
inflicting a deep cut in his arm, and
the third caught him by the collar.
"I'll take this one prisoner. Yield,
monsieur!" he cried in French.
1--WE are beaten!" cried the otncer
commanding the cavalry, as the Eng
lish rallied and came forward again.
Look, we give way everywhere!
Sauve que peut, mes braves!"