The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1916-03-08

only the red belching Of the guns
flashing quickly out of the cloud-bank.
and the black figures. stopping. strain
ing. hopping. sponginE. working like
devils and at dcvilish work. But
through the cloud the rattle and whirr
ros louder and louder. with a deep
mouthed shouting and the stamping Of
thousands OF feet. Then there came a
broad. black blur through the haze.
which darkened and darkened. until we
could see that Il was "a hundred men
abreast. marching swiftly toward Us.
with high fur hats upon their heads
and a CLEAN OF brass-work over their
brows.
And behind that hundred came an
other hundred. and behind that an
other. and on and on. coiling and
writhinE out Of the Cannonsmoke like
a monstrous snake. until there seemed
20 be no end to the mighty column.
In front ran a spray Of skirmishers
and behind them the drummers. and
mp they all came together at a kind
Of tripping step. with the officers clus.
tering thickly at the sides and waving
their swords and cheering.
There were 4 dozen mounted men.
too. az their front. all shouting to-
AfNIifAr anu hIIf VIII HIS NNN| NFIA AINNN
upon his sword-point. say AGAIN
that no men upon this earth could
have fought more manfully than the
French did upon that day
u was wonderful 70 see them. for.
as they came onward. they got ahead
Of their own guns. so that they had
no longer any help from them. while
they got IN front Of the two batteries
which had hcen on either side of Us all
day. Every gun had their range TO
a foot. right down tho dark column
as it advanced. So near were they.
and so closely did they march. that
every shot plouEhed through ten files
Of them. and yet they closed mp. and
anne on with n swing and dash that
was fine 20 see.
Their head was turned straight FOR
ourselves. while the N~inety-Nfth over
Tapped them on one side and the Fifty
second on the other.
shall always think that. 10 We had
waited so. tho Guard would have
broken u.s.. for how could % four-dccp
line stand against such a column
But ar that moment C|olburns. the
b colonel 81 the Tlfty-ercOud. swung Dis
right flank round so as 90 bring 10 on
fho side OF the column. which brought
the Frenchmeu 20 q halt Their front
line was forty spaces from us al the
moment. and We had a good look M
them.
n was funny 10 mo 10 remember
that 7 had always thought OF French.
men as small men. for there was not
one of that fr.f company who could
not have picked me up as 10 had
been "a child. and their great hats
made them look taller yet. They were
hard. Wlzencd. UIry fellows. too. with
fierce. puCFcred eyes and hrisfInA
musfache-- old soldiers who had
fourht week in. week out. for many a
YEAR AMI then. a- D stood with "a
finger upon tho trigger. waiting Tor
tho word 90 fire.. wy ev. fell fuII upon
me mounted officer with Dis hat upon
h.s sword and . saw that b. was de-
/ Lissac.
] saw 10 and Jim d'1. too = heard a
shout and saw him rush forward mad
|IF ~ the French column And la
quick as "a thought. tho whole brigade
took fhrir from him. officers HrH
an. and flung fhrwsei..a upon fh,
guard an front. while our t0m-lds.
charged fiou on tho Urrre Wa Dad
been waiting f0r tho order and frct
Hll thought nov that 10 had been given
hu'. Won may take my word FOR ff. Tiu