The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1912-01-04

OF that forward rush. God knows II
was magnificent; the supreme effort
OF men intoxicated with the en,husi-
asm Of war! Even where we were
We could see and feel the giant power
In those grim ranks of steel 1.-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 on as Cromwells 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, 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.
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 front.
Colonel Carter" he painted. press
ing one hand upon his breast to keep
back the yelling blood. charge. and
hold that battery intil we can bring
infantry to your support"
No man among us doubted the fuH
! meaning of tive were to save the
army! The very horses seemed to
feel 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 Colonefs
voice rang like clarion down the
GREATNESS line. there is where you
die! Follow mel"
Slowly, like some mighty mountain
torrent gaming force, we rode forth
:. 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 & snar., 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
/ truck the line ere Il could form into
square; the blows dealt savageiy to
| right and left; the blaze OF volley
scorching our faces, the look OF the
| big infantryman ! rode down: the
sudden thrust that saved me from 2
| 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 reeleo
! an fell. These are all in my mem
DRY, blurred commingled. indistinct
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
Juggling desperately at their wheels
| Then that dense blue mass surgec
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
u. by sheer force Of numbers. | saw
tie old Colone! plunge head-down into
| 1. 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 | was the senior captain left
| About me scarce hundred men bat
| tied like demons foc their lives in the
! midst of the guns. Even as | glanced
aside at them, shielding my head witt
uplifted sabre from the blows rainet
upon me. the color-sergeant flunl uI
| his han J. and grasped his saddle pom
mel to keep from falling Out of his
opening fingers | snatched the spin
tered staff, lifted it high up. unit
the rent folds of the old flag caugh
tie dull glow of the sunlight
TIL Virginia." | shouted. Rally
| o.. the colorsi
could see them coming-all tina
was left of them-fiChting their way
through the press. cleaving the mass
with their blows as the PROV Of s
ship cut the sea. With one vicious
jab of the spur ] led them. THU
wedge of tempered gray steel. batter
ing, gouging. rendng a passage ints
| that solid blue wall. Inch by inch
foot by foot. yard by yard. slashint
madly with our broken sabres. battling
as men crazed with lust Of blood
our very horses fighting for us will
teeth and hoofs. we ploughed Liant
of death through dozen files. Thel
the vast mass closed in upon us
rolled completely over us. There wa'
flash, vision of frenzied faces
and | knew no more.