The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1916-03-03

nco Singing IN MS mead Tor many
long day sfterward. Just opposite
US. on the slope OF the hill. was
french gun. and we could see the
men serving her quiet plainly. They
were small. active men with very
usnt oreeches and high hats with
great. straight plumes sticking up
sneep-shearers. ramming and spong-
ing and training. They were four
teen when I saw them first. and only
four left standing at the last, but they
were working away just a. hard as
ever.
The farm that they called Hcurou-
mont was down In front of US, and all
morning We could see that terrible
tight was going on there. for the walls
and the windows and the orchard
hedges we're all flame and smoke. and
tnere rose such shrieking and crying
from II rs l ever heard before. 1t
vas half burned down. and shattered
with balls. and ten thousand men were
hammering at the gates, but four
hundred gaurdsmen held It in the
morning. and two hundred held Il in
the evening. and no French foot was
ever set within its threshold.
But how they fought. those French
men! There lives were no more to
them than the mud under their feet.
There was one-I can see him now
q stoutish. rudy man on a cruch.
He hobbled up alone In a lulJ of the
firing to the side gate of Hougoumont.
and he beat upon IL. screaming TO his
men to come after him.
For five minutes he stood there,
strolling about in front of the gun
barrels which spared him, but at last
a Brunswick skirmisher In the orch;Srd
licked out his brains with a rifle shot.
And he was only one OF many, for all
day when they did not come In masses
they came in twos and threes. with as
brave face as IL the whole army
were at their heals.
So we lay all morning looking doGn
at the fight at Hougoumont; but soon
the Duke saw that there was nothing
TO fear upon his right, and so he be-
gan to use us in another way. The
French had pushed their skirmishers
past the farm. and they lay among
the young corn in front OF us, popping
at the gunners. so that three pieces
out OF six on our left were lying with
their men strewed in the mud all
round them.
But the Duke had his eyes every
where. and up he galloped at that
moment. thin. dark. wiry man, with
very bright eyes. a hooked nose. and
big cockade on his cap. There were
dozen officers at his heels, all as
merry as IL II were a fox hunt, but
OF the dozen there was not one lefe
in the evening.
Warm work, Adams" said he as
he rode up.
Very warm, Your Grace" said our
general.
But we cant outstay them at IL. I
think. Tut! tut, we cannot let Skin
mishers silence a battery. Just drive
those fellows out of that, Adams"
Then first l knew what a DEVILS
thrill run through q man when he Is
giving bit of fighting to do. Up to
now We had just lain and been killed.
which is the weariest kind of work.
Now 1t ives our turn, and, my word.
we were ready for II. Up we jumped,
the whole brigade. in a four deep line.
and rushed at the cornfield as hard as
We could tear. The skirmishers
snapped at us as we came, and then
away they bolted like corn cakes.
their heads down, muskets at the
rounded and their muskets at the
trail.
Half Of them got away. but we
caught up the others, the officer first.
for he was a very fat man who could
not run fast. II gave me quiet a turn
when / saw Rob Stewart on nv right
stick his bayonet into the mans broad
back and heard him howl like a
damned soul There was no quarter
in that field. and ii was butt or
point for all of them. The mems blood
was aflame, and little wonder. for
those wasps had been stinging all
morning without our being able so
much as to see them.
And now. as we broke through the
farther edge of the corn-field we go,
In front OF the smoke, and there was
the whole French army in position
before US. with only two meadows
and a narrow lane between us. We
set up yell as we saw them. and
away we should have gone. slap at
them. IL we had been left TO our
selves. FOR silly young soldiers never
mink that harm can come TO them
until II Is their In their midst. But
the Duke had cantered his horse be-
size US as we advanced. and now he
80. ~ nchAtNhluk 10 the general. and
the officers ell road I'm front of our
line. holding out their arms for us to
stop. ~ = - -
There was a blowing of buRIes n
pushing and showing. with the ser.
eeants cursing and digging us with
their halberts. and In less time than
u takes me to write II there was the
brigade In three neat little squares.
all bristling ewith bayonets and IN
schelon. as they call ~, so that each
could fire scross the face OF the other.
IL was the saving OF US, as even 40
young soldier as was could very
easily see. And we had none too
much time either. There was a low.
rolling hin on our right flank. and
from behind this there came a sound
like nothing on this earth 80 much a.
the beat Of the waves on Berwick
coast when the wind blows from the
east. The earth was all shaking with
that dull. roaring sound, and the air
was full Of II.
STEADY. Seventy-fIrst. for God,
sake, steady" shriked the voice OF
our colonel behind us
But In front was nothing but the
green. gentle slope Of the grassland.
all notified with daisies and dande-
1fcUa