The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1905-11-10
hll.llIl7lIlA51Lk OF APPLEbY
.s.zz.=s--z=A= - Francis Lynd.. -==--3

10 Lynds. -=-]
would find its mark In me and let me
die a soldiers death.
Sc 1t was that I saw little more of the
battle detail, and CO that fierce frenzy
time 1 have emo pictures only of
the dead and dying; of the torn and.
wounded and bleeding men with whom
we wrought, striving as we might to
stanch the ebbing life-tide or to ease
the dying gently down into the valley
of shadows.
And as for my prayer, 1t went all
unanswered. Once when I a a dy-
ing Tory's head pillowed on my knee
I saw a rifleman thrust his weapon
between the wheel spokes of the outer
heard the crack OF the Deckard, the
zip OF the bullet singing at my ear,
and the mans angry oath at his miss
ing of me. Once again a rifle ball
passed through my hair at the braid
ing of the queue and I felt the hot
touch of it on my scalp like a breath
OF flame. Another time a mountaineer
3leaped the rock barrier to beat me
down with the butt Of his rifle-and in
the very act Tybee rose up and throt-
tied him. I saw the grapple, sprang
to my feet and whipped out my sword.
Stop" I c~ommanded; you nave
broken your parole, Lieutenant"
b freed borderer glared from M
to the other Of us. 'Loonies!' he
yelled; "Ill slaughter the both Of YET"
And so he would have done, I make no
doubt, had we not laid hold of him to-
gether and heaved him back over the
breastwork.
These are but incidents, points of
contact where the fray touched us
two at the wagon barricade. I pass
them by with the mention, as I
have passed by h sterner horrors
OF h furious killing time. These
last are too large for my pen. AS we
could gather In the din and tumult, the
mountain men rushed again and again
to the attack. and as often the brave
major. or De Peyster, led the bayonet
charges that pushed them back. Yet in
the end the unerring bullet suppressed
flesh and blood could no longer endure
the d~eath-dealing cross-f1re from front
and rear.
1 saw the end was near when the
major ordered the final charge. and
Captain De Peyster formed his line and
led 1t forward at a double-quick. The
m~ountatneers held more thar half the
hilltop now. and this forlorn hope was
to try to drive them down the farther
slopes. On 1t went, and I could see the
men pitch and tumble out of the line
until at bayonet reach of the riflemen
there were less than a dozen afoot and
at to make the rush.
De Peyster fought his way back to
the wagons, gasping and bloody. Some
OF tho tories crowdinE around raised a
white flag. The major, sorely wounded
now and all but disabled, swore a great
oath and rode rough-shod into the ruck
Of covering militiamen to pull down the
flag. Again the white oken Of surren-
der was raised, and again the major
rode In to beat 1t down with his sword.
AT this Captain De Peyster put in his
word.
"sTis no use, major: there's no more
fight left In us! Five minutes more Of
t hisand we'll be shot down to q man.
Ferguson's reply was a raging oath
broad enough to cover all the enemy
and his own remnant as well; and then.
before q hand could he lifted to STAY
him, he had wheeled his horse and was
%galloping straight for the patriot line
at the farther extremity Of the hilltop.
What he meant to do will never be
known till that great day when all Sc
crets shall be revealed. For that flu
rious oath was this brave gentleman's
last word to us or to any. A dozen
bounds, 1t may be, the good charger
carried him; then h storm of rifle
SO died one of the gallantest officers
that ever did an unworthy kings work