The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1912-11-08
CHATTER xxiV,-Continued.

! know not when, during all my
army life, | was more deeply i'm
pressed with the awful solemnity of
war, than as | watched these volun-
teer soldiers land on the Jersey shore,
and tramp away through the dust. In
those ranks ere sick and wounded
scarcely able to keep up; occasionally
n would crawl aside but the moment
he was able would join some new body.
and resume the march.
They were animated by a stern Dur
pose which yielded power. Such as
these were not to be trified with. 9th.
ers might scott at their raggedness of
line. their carelessness of discipline.
their nondescript garments, and yari.
ETY. OF equipment, but to one who had
g such in battle-who had been
with them at Trenton, ~Brandywine,
and Ger1nantown-they we're warriors
not to be despised, stern, grim fight.
ers, able to hold their own against
%England's best drilled battalions,
watched them file past--Wayne's. Var.
NUNS, SCOTS brigades. and Jackson's
and Grayson's regiments-marking
the Drown dust-caked faces, the eager
eyes, the sturdy, t~ireless tread. the
We'll oiled muskets. Boys, men. gray
boards, all alike exhibited In their
races the same expression. They were
anticipating battle against a. hated foe.
ana counted hardship as nothing com
pared with the Joy of conflict. Every
step brought them closer to the
srapple of arms-to that supreme test
or strength, courage, endurance. for
which they had left their homes. They
might be poorly drilled, addressed
Varlously armed, yet these were fight,
Ing men.
II was midnight when Morgan led US
up the steep bluff, and out upon the
SANDY road. We advanced silently.
ana IN struggling column through the
u~afkness' passing the embers of
camp fires for several miles, the re.
cumbent soldiery of other commands
sleeping on the ground. At Hopewell.
washington vas holding another coun.
Gil with his officers. As we swung
past we could perceive his tall figure
stahoing in the glow OF a fire. and
uere arose from the lips Of our men
d sudden, involuntary cheer, breaking
strangely upon the solemn silence OF
ee night The group about him were
STARTLED and looked about, and he
PAUSED a moment shading his eyes. ,
what troops are these?" he asked.
as voice cutting across the distance.
a hundred answered him:
Aorgan's rifiemen!" II
uood, my ladsi" and even at that t
instance y could see his face brighten. I
mere VIII be work for you at dawn" /
with a rolling cheer, echoing down O
our ranks from front to rear. we an. t
s"eieu' swinging the guns over our
aus as we swept forward into the h
saiA night There might be discus L
ston' ascension about that council fire Y
vu' there was nom In the hearts of I
Use VINO were going out to die. AL. O
y umor We're flying about re. t
- lung Lees unwillingness to engage 1
~ oattle' ] saw him as I trudged n
p NV. standing beside Wayne. the fire. d
,u' OIL bis face. although his head a
bowed. Even to our cheers he ii
~ once glanced up, and, as we a
i,ssSeo beyond the radius Of light, N
my hand upon the name Of Nor 81
- II true that Charles Lee thinks fl
~ ~ should let Clinton go without fight. e
ne 4 asked soberly. THAT was ru- Of
ss at the ferry" II
hs enough" he answered, his ef
upon the dark column OF plod- m
NM men. And he seems to have b.
n. is with him. / know not what has tr
n. me coward into the fellows Of tie
~. saint Andrew the odds are no b
- than we have met before. But
oe no lighting, lad. I fear. un. re