The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1910-06-02
(ContInned from las waekl !.

line Of trenches outside the earth
works which partially protected New
Orleans. An attack was TO be made
on the right flank of the British line;
then these attackers would fall back
behind the Notifications. 1t deyolyed
upon Steele and his associates to aid
in covering the retreat Of the attack
ing division and to repel the onslaught
of the Britishers. which. 1t was well
calculated, would follow.
The manenver, as briefly Indicated.
was one Of great strategic Importance
to the American side. General Jack
son had outlined ii to his stan, and
they unanimously Endorsed 1t.
The onslaught began. The Ameri-
cans valiantly assalled the forbldding
lines of grenadlers. Cannon thunder,
ed. rifles spat their deadly missiles.
swords glistened before the brightness
OF blue steel became duIled VII,
, blood. men and horses writhed ana
screamed in the death agony. prayers
and curses were heard on every side
amid the awful din. men who had
souls and men who had lost their souls
went down in the hellish holocaust to
sin no more, fathers stabbed fathers
and rode them down with sharp shod
chargers, towards killed brave men
and brave men killed towards. NIL on
a springtime morning, for the ghoullSh
imp Of misrule was running amuck
among mankind, eager for the harvest
of tears, suffering and death.
A false king had decreed that honest
men should murder one another in or
der to support his dishonest govern
ment, and so his men went forth to
battle, singing hymns in a cause they
little knew was unholy.
Gilbert Steele lay in the trench.
barely deep enough to shelter him
from the singing messengers of lead
that threatened him.
The exultation of the fighting man
combating his mortal foe sent his
blood a-tlngling. thrilled his throbbing
heart. captured his soul.
The fears of yesterday, the Fremont
lions Of the night, were gone. He
was going to win. and he was going
TO live-for Madeleine.
The impulse to jump from the mud,
dy trench md to rush single handed
across the bullet swept field before
him to the succor OF his hero com
rades. who were hand TO hand with
the foe, almost controlled him for the
noment-then he gritted his teeth and
mastered himself.
He loaded his hot barreled match.
lock. Again and again he laid the
smoke blackened barrel across the
earthen mound and coolly aimed at
point above the belt line of red uni.
form. He was one of VOLTS sharn-
shooters. and be meant this day %
JUSTLY TIC rtputac:o1 OF rlll =. 1ftG1r:
" picked band of patriots-men who
could shoot the left eye out of a wild
turkey at fifty PAGES!
And live up to that reputation he
did.
Heard suddenly from the lips Of
Gilbert's commanding officer was the
cry of Ready, men! Form into line!
Fix bayonets! Go at them, boys!
Charger
Almost before he realized what had
happened Gilbert found himself in the
van of wild. triumphant dash across
the open death zone that separated the
trenches from the enemy.
.-,n ttri4JsTSS.S;ss, ~, ,,k.,'.- 49,. =
forced by two regiments OF fresh
troops, concealed in the forest beyond.
had shattered the attacking force OF
Americans. kept their flank from be.
ing turned, had maintained their gen.
eral alignment and held their position.
The utter rout of the attackers was
Imminent unless support arrived
speedily.
Hand to hand, face to face. arm to
arm, man to man, fought the stubborn
grenadlers who won ut Waterloo with
the rawboned. uncouth, unframed he
roes of the bacl;woods.
Back. back they surged.
But 1t was not the backwoodsmen,
the fur capped squirrel hunters nor
VOLTS sharpshoters that fell back.
The British grenadicrs gave way be-
fore the onslaught OF men who. hav.
ing nothing but their lives to offer
their country, freely offered all they
had.
In the fore part of the supporting
column Gilbert Steele sped headloug