River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1912-11-14
CHAPTER xxIv-continued.

know not when, during all my
army life, | was more deeply i'm
pressed with the awful solemnity OF
war, than as l watched these volun-
teer soldiers land on the Jersey shore,
and tramp away through the dust. In
those ranks were sick and wounded
scarcely able to keep up; occasionally
one would crawl aside but the moment
he was able would join some new body,
and resume the march. 6a
They were animated by stern pur-
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 vari-
ETY. of equipment, but to one who had
seen such in battle-who had been
with them at Trenton, Brandywine,
and Germantown-they were 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, Scott's brigades, and Jackson's
and Grayson's misunderstanding
the brown, dust-caked faces, the eager
eyes. the sturdy, tireless tread, the
we'll oiled muskets. Boys, men. gray
boards, all alike exhibited in their
faces the same expression. They were
anticipating battle against hated foe.
and counted hardship as nothing COM
pared with the joy of conflict. Every
step brought them closer to the
grapple of arms-to that supreme test
of strength, courage, endurance, for
which they had left their homes. They
might be poorly drilled, addressed,
variously armed, yet these were fight
ing men.
1t was midnight when Morgan led us
up the steep bluff, and out upon the
sandy road. We advanced silently,
and in struggling column through the
darkness, passing the embers of
camp fires for several miles. the re-
cumbent soldiery of other commands
sleeping on the ground. At Hopewell.
Washington was holding another coun-
Gil with his officers. AS we swung
past we could perceive his tall figure
there arose from the lips of our men
a sudden, involuntary cheer, breaking
strangely upon the solemn silence of
the night. The group about him were
startled and looked about, and he
paused a moment shading his eyes
What troops are these?" he asked,
his voice cutting across the distance
I,{
'Morgan's riflemen!"
Good, my lads!" and even at that
distance I could see his face brighten
There will be work for you at dawn
With a rolling cheer, echoing down
our ranks from front to rear, we an
swered, swinging the guns over ouI
heads, as we swept forward into the
dark night. There might be discus
sion, dissension about that council fire
but there was none in the hearts oil
those who were going out to die. AL
ready rumors were flying about re
garding Lees unwillingness to engage
in battle. / saw him as | trudgeC
past, standing beside Wayne, the fire
light on his face. although his heaC
was bowed. Even to our cheers be
never once glanced up, and, as We
passed beyond the radius of light,
laid my hand upon the mIne of Nor
CAMS horse.
us it true that Charles Lee thinks
we should let Clinton go without fight
ing?" l asked soberly. THAT was ru
mored at the ferry"
otis enough" he answered, hi
eyes upon the dark column of plod
ding men. "And he seems to hav
others with him. know not what ha
put the coward into the fellows o
late. Saint Andrew! the odds are n
greater than we have met before. Blu
thersM be no fighting. lad, fear. VI