The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1904-05-28

nan charge InCIdent or The battle
1ccloYsvie. fought between the Army of the D.
&C. under Hooker and the Army of Northern IT,
J. under Lee. May ,, 1852
The sun had set;
The leaves with dew were wet;
Down fell bloody dusk
On the woods that second of MAY
WhCrt. Stonewall's corps, like a beast ae r-s
Tore through with angry tusk.
They've trapped US. boys"
RGs from our flank a voice.
With a rush of steel and smoke
On came the rebels straight
lager as love and wild as hate:
And our line reeled and broke:
Broke and fed.
No one stayed-but the dead,
With curses. shrieks and cries,
Horses and wagons and men
Tulnhled back through the shuddering glen
And above US the fading skies.
There s one hope still
Those batteries parked on the hill,
Battery. wheel" enid the roar
Pas; pieces; fix proiongs to fire
Retiring Trot," In the panic dire
A bugIe sounds "Trot."-and no more.
The horses plunged,
The cannon lurched and lunged,
To join the hopeless rout,
But suddenly form
Calmly in front of the human storm.
With stern, commanding shout.
align those guns"
tIv" knew it was Pleasanton's)
The cannoneers bent TO obey
And worked with will at his word.
And the black guns moved as if they had heard
But an the dread delay!
ITO wait is crime;
q God for ten minutes time,p
The General looked around
There Keenan, sat like stone
With his three hundred horse alone
Less shaken than the ground.
major. your mem"
Are soldiers, General" Then
Charge, Major Do your best:
Hold the enemy back at all cost
TIL my guns are placed-else the army is lost.
GU die to save the rest
Ey the shrouded CLEAN of the western skies
brave heenan looked into Pleasanton's eyes
IrGr an lnstant-clear, and cool. and still
linen, with 4 smile he said II will"
Cavalry charge" Not man of them sbrarE
IReIf sharp. full cheer. from rank on rank.
lose joyousy, with willing breath
Rose Ike greeting hail to death
Then forward they sprung, and spurred and
Shouted the officers, crimson sas shed:
Rode veil the men. each brave as his fellow.
IN their faded coats Of the blue and the yellow;
Ana above in the air. with an instinct true
Like bird of war their pennon few
With clank of sea bbards and thunder Of stasdz
ana blades that shine like sunlit reeds.
And strong brown faces braveIv paIe
Iror rear their proud attempt should fail
dhree hundred Pennsylvanans close
On twice ten thousand gallant foes.
Line after line the troopers came
10 the edge OF the wood that vas ringed with
fame:
lSode in and sabred and shetland fell;
nor came one back his wounds to tell
And full in the midst rose Keenan,. tall
IN the gloom, like a martyr awaiting his fall
" alic the circle-stroke of his saber swung
hung.
Line after line-aye. whole platoous
struck dead in their saddles-of brave dragoors
y lne maddened horses were onward borne
ana INTO the vortex fun, trampled and torn;
as heenan Fought with his men, side by side
20 tnsy rode, till there were no more to ride
I,. over them lying there shattered and mute,
W nat oeep echo rolls? 'Tis death salute
FROM tne cannon in place; for. heroes YOU
Your fate not in vain: the army was saved!
over them noW-year following year
over their graves the pine cones fall
Ahd the Whtppoorwill chants his spe,ter call:
6ut tney stir not again; they raise no cheer
Ihey nave ceased. But their glory shall never
cease,
Nor their light be quenched in the light Of
peace. 7- ~
IN ! ne rush OF their charge is resoundinE still
l h't saved the army at characteristics