Middletown transcript., 1911-12-23


haifeluiah.1 = that eeheed 70 their tread
Those men meant ts WIN or die. and
they rolled on as CromwelI'G Iron.
sides at Marstcn Moor. Twice they
staggered, when the mad Yolleys
ploughed ragged red lanes through
them. but only to rally and press
sterl1y on. They struck that crouch
ing gray line Of infantry, fairly buried
It with their dense blue folds, and,
with one fierce hurrah Of triumph,
closed down upon the guns. Even as
they blotted them from sight, an aide,
hRtless and bleeding, his horse
wounded and staggering from weak
ness, tore down toward us along the
crest A hundred feet away his
mount fell headlong, but on foot and
dying he reached our front.
Colonel Carter" he painted, press
ing one hand upon his breast TO keep
back the yelling blood, charge, and
hold that battery Until we can bring
infantry to your support"
No man among US doubted the full
meaning of tive were to save the
army! The very horses seemed to
feel a sense Of relief, hands clinched
more tightly on taut reins to hold
them in check; under the old battered
hats the eyes Of the troopers cleaned
hungrily.
"Virginians!" and the old Colonels
voice rang like a clarion down the
breathiess line, there is whers you
die! Follow mel"
Slowly, nhs some mighty mountain
torrent gaining force, we rode forth
at . walk, each trooper lined to pre-.
sision OF review, yet instinctiEely tak,
ing distance for sword play, Halfway
down the slight slope our line broke
into sharp trot, then, as the thrilling
notes Of the charge sounded above US,
we swept forward in wild, inpetuous
tumult
Whe.. can tell the story of those
seconds that 30 swiftly followed?
Surely mot one who saw but the vivid
flash Of steel, the agonized faces, the
flame of beIching fire. I recall the
frenzied leap of my horse as we
struck the line ere it could form into
square; the blows dealt saYagely to
right and left; the blaze Of q Folley
sccrching our faces; the look Of the
big infsntryman rode down; the
sudden thrust that saved me from a
leYOlled gun; the quick swerving Of
our horses as they came In contact
with the cannon; the shouts Of rage:
the blows; the screams Of pain; the
white face Of Colgate as he reeled
and fell. These are all in my mem,
ory, blurred, commingled, indistinot,
yet distressful as any nightmare. In
some way, how / know not, realized
that we had hurled them back, shat
tered them by our first fierce blow;
that the guns were once again ours;
that fifty dismounted TROOPERS were
tugging desperately at their wheels.
Then that dense blue mass surged
forward once again, Sngulfed Us IN |
It's deadly folds, and with steel and |
ballet, sword and clubbed musket,
plouYhed through our broken raRks,
rending us in twain, fairly smotherins |
us by sheer force of numbers. I saw
tie old Colonel plunge headzdown into |
LLo ruck benssth the horses feet; |
the Major riding stone dead In his
saddle. q ghastly red stain In the
centre Of his forehead; then Hunter,
Of e, went down screaming, and /
knew was the senior captain left.
About me scarce hundred men bat
Gled like demons for their lives in the
midst Of the guns. Ev@ as glanced
aside at them, shielding my head with
uplifted sabre from the blcws rained
apon me, the coior-sergeant flung w
bis hand, and grasped his saddle pom.
mel to keep from falling. Out Of his
opening fingers ! snatched the spin.
.ered staff, lifted 1t high up, until
he rent folds Of the old, flag caught
he dull glow Of the sunlight.
til virginia." l shouted. Rally
IN the colorsl"
could see them coming-all that
vas left Of them-fightfng their way
through the press, cleaTing the mass
Nth their blows as the prov Of q
hip cut the sea. With one vicious
alb OF the spur i led them, q thin
wedge Of tempered gray steel, batter
ng, gouging, rending a passage into
hat solid blue wall. Inch by inch,
cot by foot, yard by yard, slashing
nadly with our broken sabres, battling
70 men crazed with lust of blood,
'ur very horses fighting for US with
eeth and hoofs, we. ploughed a lane
Il death through a dozen files. Then
he vast mass closed in upon US,
oiled completely over US. There was
! flash, vision If frenzied faces,
md knew no more.