Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1904-07-26

| OTHER two regiments, the For,letn anu
| Fifty-.ifth, which had not yet left
| Princeton. Both parties rushed for u
| lii, lie rising ground on the edge of a
| cleared fed, near the house Of peace
| full Quaker named Clark. The Ameri-
cans were nearer the goal than their
| opponents and reached it first. Hastily
| Gep!oyiug his column, Mercer sought
| shelter behind hedge fence which
crowned the eminence and immediate
ly opened up u destructive fire from
his ri.ieInen, which temporarily check.
| ed the advancing enemy. The British,
| eXceilenly led, returned the fire with
great spirit. and with such good effect
that. after few volleys, Mercer's horse
| WAS wounded in the leg and his rider
| thrown violently to the ground, Tai
bots was killed under him and several
| Of the Ciiicers and men fell-amOng
them the brave Colonel Haslet, who
| was mortaiiy wounded.
In the confusion thus unfortunately
| caused the Americans could hear sharp
| :oa.r.ands of the English officers. then
the rattling of steel on the gun bar
rels, and the next moment the red
| coated men broke out Of the smoke
| and, unchecked by scattering fire
from the Americans, gallantly rushed
up ut them with fixed bayonets. There
were unfortunately no bayOnets In this
| small brigade Of the Continental ar
| my. A few of the men dubbed their
muskets resOlutely as the two lines
met and made stout resistance, but
| the oncoming British would not be de-
MED. and as the charge was pressed
home the ..mericans wavered. broke
and fell back in some disorder before
| the vigorous onslaught of the veteran
troops. Mercer, filled with shame,
strove in vain to rally his men. Dis
| duining himself to retreat, and gallantly
Calling upon them to advance, he threw
| himself upon the advancing British
| line, sword in hand, followed by his
| officers, and for brief space there
was an exciting melee on the hill.
blow from the butt end Of musket
fc!led the general to the ground. Tai
bot sprarg to his side and swept the
bayOnet away from his heart by blow
Of his sword delivered with Il quick
movement Of his powerful arm. Mer-
GER protted by the moments respite to
leap to his feet.
"Thank you. my lad" he said.
"DO you get to the rear and rally the
men, generals! cried Talbot, firing a
pistol at short range into the midst Of
the crowding enemy. "Fll hold these
men in play" But the fighting blood
| IF the old ScOtchman was up, and for
answer he struck boldly ut the man
opposite him.
Surrender. you cursed rebels" cried
| an officer near them.
Never replied Mercer, cutting
down the man with whom he was en-
gagged, while Talbot did the like to the
one next him. With roar Of rage the
British sprang on the two men. In
trice one of the bayonets got past
Mercer's guard and grazed his arm;
another buried itself in his bosom; q
third struck him in the breast. The
old man struck out weakly. dropped
his sword and fell. pierced by a dozen
wounds. but still breathing. Talbot.
who was rs yet unharmed. though COW
cred with blood and dust. his hat gone,
| stepped across his body.
lie might have retreated, being
young and active. but that was not
the custom of his family; neither
would he abandon the body Of his
brave commander. Besides, every mo-
ment Of delay was precious. Surely
they would be REINFORCED and rallied.
He knew the promptness Of Washing
ton too well to doubt 1t for a moment,
and, last Of all, what was life without
| Kate? One glance he cast to the bright
sky. flushed with the first rays Of the
| rising sun, and then he stood on guard.
The young mans eyes were burning
with the intoxicaton Of the fight and
his soul filed with great resolve, but
his sword play was as cool and as
rapid as 1t had been in the Sale des
Armes at Paris, where few could be
found to master him. The little group
Of British paused a moment in admira-
| ton Of his courage.
zone at time, gentlemen" he CRIED
smiling. and warding Off a vicious
bayonet thrust. "Is there none here
who will cross swords with me for the
honor of his fag?"
The Young lieutenant in command Of
that part of the line promptly sprang
forward and engaged. The two blades
rang fercely together and grated along
each other a moment later. The men
stepped back. But the brave lieutenant
had met his match and. with set lips
| and iron arm, Talbot drove home his
blade in the others heart. Ere he
| could recover himself or withdraw his
sword he was beaten to his knees Dy
a blow from IL gun barrel. The blood
ran down over his face.
"Surrender! Surrender" they cried
to him, '.and we will spare your life!
| For answer his hand sought his re-
naming pistol. The first one OF MS
opponents fell dead with bullet
through his heart, and the next mo-
ment the deadly steel OF bayonet was
buried in TalbOts throat.
"Kate-Kater he cried In agony, the
blood bubbling from his lips, and then
another bayonet found his gallant
heart and he sank down on his face
Mt the foot Of the dying officer, his
lips kissing the soil Of that country IN
defense of whose liberties he had
fallen.
AS was customary with his family
he had died on the field, grimly facing
fearful odds to the last. The last OF
his line, he had made good ending
not unworthy his distinguished ances-
try: for none of the proud and gallant
race had ever died in the service OF
better cause. he it that Of king or par
lament, than this yorng soldier VINO
had Just laid down his life for love OF
his country!
The slight check afforded by the In
terposition Of the Americans was over.
The British were sweeping everything
before them. when Colonel MANHOOD
the cool headed officer, who had been