Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1921-02-25

Vi thc Ii iiisp anu IL just VI lHdl lHht
l will tell you.
We were on the right Of the line and
In reserve, for the Duke was afraid
that Boney might work round on that
side and get at him from behind. so
our three regiments, with another Brit
ish brigade and tie Hanoverians. were
placed there to be ready for anything
There were two brieades of light cav
airy, too, but the French attack was
all from the front, SO 1t was late in
the day before we we're really wanted
The English battery which fired the
first gun was still banging away on
our left, and a German one was hard
at work upon our right, so that we
were wrapped round with the smoke,
but we We're not so hidden as to screen
us from line Of French guns oppo-
site, for score of round shot came
piping through the air and pumped
right into the heart of u.s. AS heard
the scream Of them pass my ear my
head went down like diver, but our
sergeant gave me prod in the back
with the handle Of his halbert.
"Dont be SO blasted polite" said he.
"When you're hit you can bow once
and for all."
There was one Of those balls that
knocked five men into bloody mash,
and saw It lying on the ground after
wards, like crimson football An
other went through the adjutant's
horse with a plop, like a stone in the
mud, broke its back and left 1t lying
like burst gooseberry. Three more
fell farther to the right, and by the
stir and cries we could tell that they
had all told.
"Ah, James, you've lost good
mount" says Major Reed, just in front
of me. looking down at the adjutant,
whose boots and breaches were all
running with blood.
II gave a cool fifty for him In Glas.
gow," said the other. "Don't you think.
major, that the men had better lie
down, now that the guns have got our
ranger"
"Tut!" said the other "They are
young. James, and 1t will do them
good"
"Theyu get enough of 1t before the
days DONE" grumbled the other but
at that moment Colonel Reynell saw
that the Rifles and the Fifty-second
were down on either side of us, so we
had the order to stretch ourselves out
too. Precious glad we were when we
could hear the shot whining like hum
cry dogs within few feet of our
backs. Even now a thud and a splash
every minute or so, with yelp of pain
and drumming Of boots upon the
ground, told us that we were still los
ing heavily.
A thin rain was falling and the
damp air held the smoke low. SO that
We could only catch glimpses Of what
was doing just In front of us, though
the roar of the guns told us that the
battle was general all along the lines
Four hundred of them were all crash
ing at once now, and the noise was
enough to split the drum of your ear
Indeed. there was not one of us but
had a singing In his head for many a
long day afterward. Just opposite us,
on the slope Of hill, was a French
gun. and we could see the men serving
her quite plainly. They were SMALL
active men with very tight breeches
and high hats with great, straight
plumes sticking up from them. but they
worked like sheep shearers, ramming
and sponging and training. There
I a..
and only four left standing at the last
but they were working away just as
hard as ever.
The farm that they called Hougou-
mont was down In front Of us, and all
morning we could see that a terrible
fight was going on there, for the walls
and the windows and the orchard
hedges were all flame and smoke. and
there rose such shrieklng and crying
from 1t as / never heard before. 1t
was half burned down, and shattered
with balls, and ten thousand men were
hammering at the gates, but four hun
drcd guardsmen held 1t In the morn
ing, and two hundred held 1t In the
evening, and no French foot was ever
set within Its threshold. But how they
fought. those Frenchmen! Their lives
were no more to them than the mud
under their feet. There was one-I
can see him nova stoutish, rudy
man on crutch. He hobbled up
alone In q lull of the firing to the
side gate Of Hougoumont, and he
beat upon 1t. 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 Brunswick skirmisher In the
orchard flicked out his brain with
rfe-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 was at their heels.
So we lay all morning looking down
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