The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-01-28

wouldn't let his horse go too fast. il
being a long way we had TO charge.
and. of course. the brigade behind him
couldn't 90 fass5T than the pace ne
set.
"There was batteries on our right
blazing down at US. and batteries on
our left blazing down. and batteries
right in front. and 1 felt in my face
the bits of rock or pebble thrown UP
by the shot hitting on the hard
ground.
Il was in the front rank, and I saw
that behind Us Dragons came the Ian
GERS, and I remember thinking il queer
that they had put US swordsmen 10
charge in front Of lancemen. I don't
know why I thought of tit just came
to me in a flash that it was queeTlike.
All the time was the terrible
plunging fire from the batteries on the
hill at our sides, and there were can
non blazing away in our front, and
there we were. with our men falling.
and the order. Close up, Close up
coming all the time from the officers.
ana we kept closing up and gallop-
ing on with the noise getting louder
and the smoke thicker and our ranks
getting thinner. And many was the
riderless horse that had joined Us and
was gallopine right on in the charge
turn back ! don't suppose anybody
thought of such a thing. There was
our general going on ahead of US, and
the other officers, and, o course, there
we was all going on. too. All We
wanted to do was to get at the Roosh-
ans.
shot and shell plunging, men fall
myrtle bullets, grape, round shot
and shetland I was squirting my
chestnut fierce, and ] suppose I was
yelling. and I know that all I wanted
to do was to get right there at the
end Of il with the rest of US, when
en at once I went over my horses
head.
Il fell clear. but even while I was
in the air-cr at least Il seems so to
me now-the thought came 90 me that
there was /, an English born dragon
of four years service-for / listed in
'50-disgracirg myself and the TeEi-
ment by being thrown. But in min
ute I knew it was my horse. for she
was killed, and in falling had pitched
me. A fine horse she was; she was
my best friend; and there she lad
blowed open by a shell.
II got to my feet and looked ahead.
Everything was wild and smoky, with
great Hastings. and I tried to catch
horse that ripped past me, and then
tried to run ahead and get at where
our men was gripping with the enemy.
Men falling, pitching of in al sorts
of ways. and other men. like me, on
their feet. and wounded horses scream
ing and kicking Awful, the nose
wounded horse makes. but it's the
kicking that's the worst, for it lashes
out In every direction with its hoofs.
and many a wounded man was kicked
as he was trying to get up or to crawl
away.
'J could lust make out what my COM
rades were doing. just in front OF me,
riding around and cutting and slashins
right among the guns and even past
the batteries-just our handful against
an army. And I tried TO hurry for
ward oil foot, and I could have cried
that I wasn't right in with them
And then-it seemed all in mo-
ment. and ii was only a minute or So
there they was, coming back, still strik-
ing and slashing and firing their pis-
tolls. and big crowds Of ROoshans try
ing to surround them OF get in front TO
head US off.
And of course 1 started back, too,
and so we went up the valley that we'd
been a-charging dOwn-ali that was left
of us-all that was left.
"As l went on 1 saw one Of the cap
Webb it was-lying on
the ground, and there was two troop
ers trying to help him. And one of
them called to me. Lamb, he says,
can't you give Captain Webb drink
of waterY
Now. nv water bottle was strapped
to my saddle: we could carry our bot
ties that way if we wanted. or strapped
to ourselves, and I always kept mine
strapped to nv saddle to keep my
sword arm free.
so 1 hadn't any water, and there
was Captain Webb, wounded and suf-
rertng. And afterwards he died. sir.
We'll, felt that of course I must
get that water for the captain, and so
went back, picking my way over
horses and men, looking for an I'M /
bottle. / suppose IT seemed /
Iueerlike, to see me just walking back I
again the wrong way. but 1 never took 1
thought o that. / just wanted to get 1
some water for Captain Webb. for he /
vas a fine officer. and ne was suffer- /
ng. I wouldn't think of calling it brav- I
Try. I just wanted to get some wa I
er. and pretty soon I found it. strapped 4
% the saddle of a dead horse.
ct unfastened il, and all I'm a minute 4
( came to me that I never was so /
hirsty in all my life. That thirst. 1t 4
vas something awful the way it come /
'ver me the minute I got that water /
'ottie In my hand, and so I took a pull 1
Il It before I started back for Captain /
Nell. There was enough for US both.
le added naively.
Il got back to the captain. Men.
cave me and save yourselves he was
aging: but he felt better with the /
rink Of water, and then the two troop
rs helped him to get ahead.
And so we got back, all that was
eft of US. I've heard the verses that
alls it that, and good soldier verses
hey are. Good soldier verses, Just like
and slashing and the sound !
f guns. They got some of US on a
tage, you know, a few years ago at a
ublic concert or show, and one of the
'g actresses think it was Miss Ter
y-she recited all those verses about I
he charge, and the people in the the 4
tire they just cheered for us old Bala-
lava men sitting there"
He was silent for q little. going over
he events of the long past battle. Then \
e said wistfuliy:
II almost got the V. c. for that lit
e matter OF the drink of water. For