The enterprise-recorder. (Madison, Fla.) 1908-1933, 1912-03-15

M man among us doubted the lull
leaning of tive were to save the
INV, The very horses seemed to
al a sense of relief, hands clinched
,o,s tightly on taut reins to hold
s.m in check; under the old battered
Nc the eyes Of the troopers cleaned
kungrily.
"vlreinians!" and the old Colonels
mice rang like a clarion down the
reathless line, there is where you
,e, Follow mel"
Slowly, like some mighty mountain
mrent gaining force, we rode forth
a walk, each trooper lined To pre-.
Lsop of review, yet instinctively tax.
|pg distance for sword play. Halfway
own the slight slope our line broke
MO sharp trot, then, as the thrilling
potes of the charge sounded above us,
Ne swept forward in wild, impetuous
umult,
Who can tell the story Of those
seconds that so swiftly followed?
Surely not one who saw but the vivid
hash Of steel, the agonized faces, the
1sme of belching fire. | recall the
rnzied leap of my horse as we
truck the line ere 1t could form into
suuare; the blows dealt savagely to
tght and left; the blaze Of volley
Erorchng our faces the look of the
Biz infantryman | rode down; the
udden thrust that saved me from a
Neled gun; the quick swerving of
bur horses as they came in contact
With the cannon the shouts Of rage
khe blows; the screams of pain; the
white face of Colgate as he reeled
snd fell. These are all In my men,
Ey blurred, commingled. indistinct,
let distressful as any nightmare. In
EOme way, how know not, realized
bat We had hurled them back, shat
Hed them by our first fierce blow;
bat the guns were once again ours;
hat fifty dismounted troopers were
Hgging desperately at their wheels.
Then that dense blue mass surged
tward once again, engulfed US in
lis deadly folds, and with steel and
bullet sword and dubbed musket,
Oughed through our broken ranks,
lending us in twain, fairly smothering
Is by sheer force Of numbers. | saw
We old Colonel plunge head-down into
40 ruck beneath the horses feet;
be Major riding stone dead in his
PADDLE, CHASTITY red stain in the
sntre of his forehead; then Hunter,
y E, went down screaming, and l
NEW was the senior captain left.
About me scarce a hundred men bat
lied like demons for their lives In the
ridst Of the guns. Even as | glanced
Pside at them, shielding my he; d with
ppIfted sabre from the blows rained
pon me, the color-sergeant flung up
Dis hand, and grasped his saddle POM
rel to keep from falling. Out Of his
pening fingers | snatched the spin.
fed staff, lifted 1t high up, until
ne rent folds of the old flag caught
ne dull glow Of the sunlight.
'-th Virginia." | shouted. Rally
% the colors,"
! could see them coming-all that
as left of them-fighting their way
trough the press, cleaving the mass
I'D their blows as the prov Of a
UP cut the sea. With one vicious
20 OF the spur ! led them, thin
euge Of tempered gray steel, batter
w gouging, rending a passage into
ast solid blue wall. Inch by inch,
WV by foot, yard by yard, slashing
Aauiy with our broken sabres, battling
men crazed with lust of blood,
vi very horses fighting for US with
,sA and hoofs, we ploughed a Lane
Death through a dozen files. Then
" vast mass closed in upon us,
Oued completely over us. There was
nash, vision of frenzied faces,
Fnd knew no more.