The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1914-08-20


, ward they plunged amid a storm o
bullets that ratified on casque an,
breastplate, on buckle and scabbard
with sound like hail; into the bosom
of that hailstorm flashed that thunder
bolt beneath which the earth shool
and trembled, leaving behind it, a.
it passed, an odor of burnd wooden anc
the exhalations of wild beasts.
At five hundred yards the line wav-
cred an instant, then swirled and broke
in a frightful eddy. The center had
given way, riddled, almost annihilated
as it was by the musketry fire, while
the two wings had wheeled and ridden
back little way to renew their for
nation. The charge was resumed;
the second squadron went forward,
like the first, at a contantly acceler-
ated rate of speed, the men bending
upon their horses necks, holding the
saber along the thigh, ready for use
upon the enemy. Two hundred yeards
more were gained this time, amid the
thunderous, deafening uproar, but again
the center broke under the storm of
bullets; men and horses went down
in heaps, and piled corpses made an
insurmountable barrier for those who
followed. Thus was the second
squadron in turn mown down, annihil-
ated, leaving its task to be accom-
plished by those who came after.
When for the third time the men
were called upon to charge and re.
sponded with invincible heroism, Pros
per found that his companions were
hussars and chasseurs de
France. Regiments and squadrons, as
had ceased to exist;
their constituent elements were drops /
in the mighty wave that alternately |
broke and reared it's crest again, to
swallow up all that lay in its de-
structive path All about horses
were rearing, paving the air and fall
ng backward; men were dismounted
as if torn from their saddle by the
blast of tornado, while others, shot
through some vital part, retained their
seat and rode onward in the ranks
With vacant, sightless eyes. And look
ng back over the additional two hun
lred yards that this effort had won for
hem, they could see the field of yell
ow stubble strew thick with dead and
lying. Some there were who had fallen
from their saddles and buri-
d their faces in the soft earth. Others ,
ad alighted on their backs and were
taring up into the sun with terror
tricken eyes that seemed bursting !,
rom their sockets. The survivors in
he wings wheeled their horses and +,
ell back to concentrate their strength
or fresh onset.
Finally it was the fourth squadron, f
hitch on the fourth attempt, reached 6
lie Prussian lines. Blood flowed in h
,rrents. The clamor around became v
} great that one could not hear his Il
wn voice, although his throat seemed t
1iitting from the yells that issued h
ON it. But behind the first Prus- h
an line there was another, and then "
lother, and then another still. Their V
allant efforts went for nothing; those
,nse masses of men were like tan
es jungle that closed around the o
rises and riders who entered it and
lried them in it's rank growths. They
light hew down those who were with
reach of their sabers; others stood tn
ady to take their place, the last m
were lost and swallowed up 1t
their vast numbers. The firing, at vi
range, was so furious that in
e mems clothing was ignited. pl
othing could stand before it, all H
mt down; and the work that it left =
finished was completed by bayonet
d musket butt. Of the brave men
10 rode into action that day two
rds remained upon the battle field,
d the sole end achieved by that mad
arge was to add glorious page to
tory.