The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1917-02-24

NASAS "ACAC CpcuCer TlueLueu lay D.
4 mind their kneeling horses. Before b
y own company, which, with the otht
q militia companies of Wilson, Norr
: and Wilkins, was stationed in the Gel
e ter OF the rear line, the woods la
!, quiet, seemingly empty Of any indians
e David turned about and glance
: toward the center of the camp. Fift
yards away were the tents of the off
GERS, lighted up by the campfres. 81
could distinguish the figures of the1
all. They were all fully dressed an
were buckling on their sword-belts a
they talked. Harrison was standin
impatiently waiting while an orderl
struggled with his horse.
: Hargroye, divining that it was tn
generals intention to ride ava,
toward the points where the savage
were attacking in numbers, struci
David on the shoulder in his hurry:
"Go ask Colonel Decker If we ar.
to stand here! Quick, before Genera
Harrison goes!"
David ran toward the officers. As
he reached them, Harrison succeeded
In getting his foot into the stirrup and
threw himself into the saddle. Decker
was about to mount. David saluted
as he ran, crying, as Captain Har-
| grove to stand where he isl?
Harrison answered before the colon
ell could reply:
"All the captains are to hold their
companies as they stand! You will
do nothing but hold the ground until
light enough to advance!"
He gathered up the reins and with
bound was gone through the falling
mist, Boyd, Owen, Hurst, Taylor,
Washington Johnston and Daviess
urging their horses at his heels.
David ran back toward his captain.
The horrid tumult at the northwest
and southeast angles grew louder. Da-
vid listened with an excitement that
filled his ears with the sound Of his
own hearts throbbing. Two hundred
yards away the rifles cracked in q
ceaseless sputter.
The drums began. The orderly
drummer at the officers tents was
beating the long roll; the steady I'M
varying tattoo spread its imperious
summons through the night with a
sound that forced its way through all
the wilder babel Of the camp. David
wondered why it had not begun SOON
er; 1t did not seem possible that not
sixty seconds had elapsed since the
first alarm had been given.
A cold gust made the raindrops
waver. He became conscious that his
teeth were chattering. Two men,
on the ground, succeeded in
scattering the fire SO that its light |
died down to the embers. David saw
the other company fires go out, one
by one. But they had not all been ex-
dnguished soon enough.
As the light of the fires died out the |
flashing Of the rifles became more
plainly visible. The damp air was
heavy with the acrid smell Of powder
smoke. In the swamp at the east Da-
Tid could see the flames of the Indi-
ms rifles twinkling like fireflies.
The uproar at the northwest angle
II the camp, two hundred yards away,
rev louder. David strained his eyes
through the darkness but distin-
pushed nothing. Suddenly from the
lark angle a trumpet blared out its
summons to charge. On
he last note arose a burst of cheer
nc.
"Chargingw calculated Hargrove
t Dayid's side.
1t was the plan of the Indians to
'ait until a girdle had been formed
q three sides of the camp, where q
attack might be made,
orth. east and south; but before they
ad completed this detour Of the
'ooded plateau the impatient saw
ges stationed at the northwest cor
er had drawn in closer and closer
the American sentries in their ca
erness to rush In. 1t was one Of
iese whom Stephen Mars had heard
liding through the wet underbrush;
I'd at the report Of his rife the In
ians threw aside concealment and
sgan the onset on the north flank of
le little army, without waiting for
ore OF their numbers to complete the
role on the east front.
And so the men of Geiger's Ken "
lcky Rifles and those of Captain
arton's regular troops, forming the ),
'rthwest angle, awoke to find a hun :
ed shadowy forms rushing on them =
lth the cries Of wild beasts. Their =
lswering fire burnt the very breasts :.
!. the Indians and lighted I'D the =
tinted, hideous faces. There was no -
ne to reload; the rifles became clubs ?,
at swung and crashed against rib !,
d skull, or RED warrior and white :
INT down locked in the terrible en- :.
ace which the bloody knife alone. y
ing and falling. might end. N
But the angle held firm. When Har- ~
on and his STAFF refined In their w
rses at the spot, the hand-to-hand eli
nfiict was over, and the savages had sa
reated to the shelter of trees, A,
Iere they might have time to reload tn
,ir guns. Behind them they left ia
re Of dead and dying of their own tn