Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-08-27

lu1e III lHelT inIFenCnmentS, VINO
should have been dispatched to his as
sistance.
How explain the Frenchman's reck-
less haste? The fact was that Mont
calm had always beaten the English.
He had never in his whole career met
a single commander among them who
appeared to have the slightest mill
tary genius, and he made the fatal mis-
take of despising his foes. Perhaps
the fact that they lay there stubbornly
taking the CALLING skirmish fire from
the coverts on either flank so silently,
in spite Of its CHASTITY effectiveness, re-
plying only to his heavier guns with
their two six-pounders, gave him
greater confidence; at any rate, at ten
In the morning he ordered an advance.
With feverish Impotence the Eng
lish held themselves in restraint I'M
der the peremptory orders of their
commander. AS Wolfe saw the French
rising on the crest of the hill, giving
evidence of their intention to join bat
tie in close encounter, he walked rapid
ly up and down his own line speaking
those simple, hearty words of encour-
agement, as he passed by his soldiery,
which do much to make a man hero.
A culver of delight ran through the
compact ranks. With fierce pleasure
the men looked to their pieces and
made themselves ready.
Suddenly the crest of the slope in
front Of them was tipped with fame
and covered with smoke The rattle
Of arms crashed over the field. Bull
lets rang through the morning air
Men were dropping here and there
among the ranks of the stolid British;
some moaned and shrieked in the an
guish of shattered limb OF torn body,
and some lay still and quiet in the
grass, rocking little. minding nothing
Of the roar of battle about them. The
French, after the first volley, began
firing continuously and irregularly,
still advancing.
Suddenly, when the cheering and
yelling whitecoats had reached a point
perhaps 100 yards away, a sharp COM
mand rang out in English. The Of
fcers repeated Wolfe's signal.
STEADY! Ready! Aimt'
Be quiet ALL for now was the timet
The muskets of the waiting red ranks
came smartly down.
"Fire!"
The first rank delivered volley
! which crashed over the plateau like
cannon-shot. Their drill was magnifl-
cent. A moment of startling silence
supervened and the second rank re-
peated the performance. Ere the
echoes of the discharge had died away
among the hills, the third rank sent It's
sheet of destruction in the face of the
advancing men. The field was covered
with thick smoke. The English could
see nothing. For moment no reply
was made to them. Then a 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 a
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.
1.-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 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 1t 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. HI
caught handkerchief about it 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
a 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. 1t needed no sur.
geon to translate the look Of death up.
on his face. Grafton knelt by him ani