Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1912-02-29

Of that forward rush. God knows :.
was magnificent; the supreme effort
of men intoxicated with the enthust
assn of wari Even where we were
we could see and feel the giant power
in those grim ranks of steel-the tat
tered flags. the stern. set faces, the
deep-toned chorus Of GLORY. glory,
hallelujah," that echoed to their tread.
Those men meant to win or die. and
they rolled or as Cromwelfs Iron
sides at Marston Moor. Twice they
staggered. when the mad volleys
ploughed ragged red lanes through
them, but only to rally and press
sternly on. They struck that crouch.
ing gray line of infantry, feirly buried
it with their dense blue folds. and.
with n fierce hurrah of triumph,
closed down upon the guns. Even as
they blotted them from sight, an aide.
hatless 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 from.
Colonel Carter" he painted. press
ing one hand upon his breast to keep
back the yelling blood. charge, and
hold that battery Lntil We a bring
infantry to your support"
No man among US doubted the full
meaning of tive we're 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 Colonel's
voice rang like a clarion down the
GREATNESS line, there is where you
diet Follow mel"
Slowly, like some mighty mountain
torrent gaining force, we rode forth
, a walk, each trooper lined to pre-
cision of review, yet instinctively TAX
ing distance for sword play. Halfway
down the slight slope our line broke
into G. snaro trot, then, as the thrilling
rotes of the charge sounded above us.
we swept forward in wild, impetuous
tumult.
Who can tell tho story Of those
seconds that so swiftly followed?
Surely not one who saw but the vivid
flash of steel, the agonized faces, the
flame of belching fire. | recall the
frenzied leap Of my horse as we
struck the line ere 1t could form into
square; the blows dealt savagely to
right and left; the blaze Of a volley
scorching our faces; the look OF the
big infantryman l rode down; the
sudden thrust that saved me from a
levelled 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
an fell. These are all In my mem
ory, blurred, commingled, indistinct'
yet d~istressful 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 nee again ours;
that fifty dismounted troopers were
Juggling desperately at their wheels.
Then that dense blue mass surged
forward once again, %engulfed us In
its deadly folds, and with steel and
bullet, sword and dubbed musket,
ploughed through our broken ranks,
rending us in twain, fairly smotherine
III by sheer force of numbers. saw
tie old Colonel plunge head-down into
H.. ruck beneath the horses feet;
the Major riding stone dead In his
saddle, a CHASTITY red stain in the
centre of his forehead; then Hunter
Of E, went down screaming, and
knew I was the senior captain left
About me scarce a hundred men bat
tied like demons for their lives IN the
midst of the guns. Even as I glanced
aside at them, shielding my head with
rplifted sabre from the blows rained
upon me, the color-sergeant flung UP
his hand, and grasped his saddle pom
m6l W Keep HUH Adlllu6, ouI Va LIE
opening fingers l snatched the spin
tered staff, lifted 1t high up. until
the rent folds of the old flag caught
the dull glow Of the sunlight.
"-th Virginia." | shouted. Rally
OF the colors!"
l could see them coming-all tha'
was left of them-fighting their way
through the press, cleaving the mass
with their blows as the prov of
ship cut the sea. With n vicious
jab of the spun I led them, a thir
wedge of tempered gray steel, batter
ing, gouging, rending a passage int
that solid blue wall. Inch by inch
foot by foot, yard by yard, slashini
madly with our broken sabres, battling
as men crazed with lust Of blood
our very horses fighting for US witt
teeth and hoofs, we p%loughed a Ian
Of death through a dozen files. Thel
the vast mass closed in upon us
rolled completely over us. There wa
a flash, a vision Of frenzied faces
and / knew no more.