The Daytona gazette=news. (Daytona, Fla.) 1901-1922, 1904-08-06
EIGHT ABREAST

Around the bend of the road 900 in
fantry formed up in lines eight abreast
The width OF the road allowed for no
more With bayonets fixed and mus
kets ut the trail they waited for min
ute and then made a dash. From the
center Of the earthwork leaned n sheet
OF flame third OF the way across tie
oridge-from the night and left other
sheets OF fame. Every musket had d
rest on top OF the earthworks every
sight covered human target The
mead OF the advancing column did not
reach the pianks OF the bridge. Ii
melted away in the midst of the OBJ
strucuons, 10 create other distractions.
ana forty men lay dead and wounded
as the smoke lazily drifted down the
stream
Purty fair fur what time We was
at it, said Ben as he rose up for look
after reloading.
We ought TO got at least twenty
more at SIGH clus shootin.'' growled
Tom in reply
hey II come az in. OF course
Don't be - fool, Ben, Dye
think the loss OF forty or fifty men
would stop one OF our divisions from
gettin' somewhar's? If you feel tired
and sleepy you'd better ask for leave
to 40 to the rear
Say. | don't want too much Of yer
/ chin, old man.
"Oh, Yer don't, Wam. We jest tend
to fghtin' and dyin' and don't worry
about my chin Better shet yer ewes
this time and see II yc can't damage
some Of en-
That dash wns n fccIcr 10 develop
the strength defending the bridge and
to see II II was mined for blow ing up
Around the bend of the road they
laughed at the idea OF hundred men
holding division ut bay. Further
back the soldiers fretted and fumed.
and officers swore at the delay
Get ready Fire Mt willr'
This time II column OF 300 men. form
ed eight abreast rs before. dashed at
the bridge with ringing cheers. and
though the first four or five ranks went
down others lived 10 reach the earth
work and TO make II fierce tight for it's
possession. For ten minutes there were
shot and shout and curse and Yroan.
and then the bridge was clear again,
clear Of al bnt the dead and wounded.
! The veteran Ben was one of the half
dozen who started to cheer rs the enc
my sullenly fell back. bat Tom Inter
rupted him with.
What yer maxim ii GUESSED fool Of
yerself for
"Wr've licked EN- Ag'ln"'
Licked he'll, II this war don end
in less II three months YOU won't know
nun 10 pound sand, The idea of yer
| yawpin' and whoopin' over a victory
when we've lost at least twenty men
and when we are sartin to hc wiped
out. body and butes. Look alons the
/ lines
Ben looked up ana down the lines
and shivered rs he noted the dead and
wounded who had fullcn out And now
the enemy developed Il force To the
right. another to the left. and the men
crcpt forward 10 the very brink Of the
ravine and opened such hot fire that
no defender OF the carthwOrk could
| lift his head Under cover OF this IRE
n force formed up in the road for Il
dash across the bridge. The captain
sent an order along The earthwork
and each cFuuching man mad" ready
10 rise up and fire when the critical
moment came.
Say, this Is gcttin' TO be redhotI
exclaimed Ben as the bullets sent the
dirt ny ing over his head.
"WaAl. We don't need any Ice Jest
now" primly replied Tom. We are
coin' to Kit licked on this deal"
Not licked. but wiped our. The or
ders are 10 bold the bridge To the last
and our captains the man 70 do 1t
Purity lcctle fight mighty purity. Lott
o. heads will git busted when we rise
up 10 fire Never had bullet through
yer Cokcrnut. did yer
Tom did not answer Just then came
the order 10 tir" ut VIII. and rs the
muskcts looked over the carthwork'
The enemy chccrcd and dashed for Tho
bridge a third time. ever IN" rocks
and bushes ohetructin- the road, ovei
the wounded. CRY ing ont. over the dead
AMI over the blood SPOTS. ana agar
they reached the carthvorks anC
fought hand 10 hand.
Guess they'll stay licked this time.
growlrd Ben AS III" enemy fell back
after ten minutes lighting
"Oh. yc do Sneer'I Tom ~ M
Iahhed his hayOnct into the cnrthUorh
10 clear Il of blood WAL. Of all tn,
blamed idiots In Grants army 20,
take the cake. We've got about ter
men left to hold division, and y ar'
shoutin' for vict'ry."
Now, the enemy, maddencd by th'
delay and resistance. crossed mel
nbOvc and below the bridge and they
were soon taking the hreastwork in tn
rear. The captain was down, his lieu
tenants were down corporal nae
command OF the remnant Of the hun
bred men.
What dye call this asked Ben al
the bullets began to come In from
flank ana rear
"N"xt door to hell replied Tom
Face about and see II W can't hit
barn door"
i've dropped a man every time I've
fred and-and"-