The Boy Soldier; Or, Garibaldi's Young Captain — page 362: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

356 THE BOY SOLDIER; OR, GARIBALDI’S YOUNG CAPTAIN. horses being much superior to our old mules, and powerful in harness—thus you see us re-equipped .on the battle-field—and turned the enemy’s guns on them, ‘It was now nearly eleven o’clock. “Reports from different parts of the field repre- sented our generals as having driven the enemy pell-mell before them, capturing camp after camp, and immense supplies of all kinds, “From the continual change of scene, from field to wood, from camp to camp, and incessant fight- ing, I could not realize the lapse of time, and could not believe it to be more than 7 A.M. “The heat, however, began to be very oppressive, and, as we gradually became short-handed, officers dismounted, and served the guns with right good- will. “Our progress now became much slower than before. “The enemy had collected in great force towards our front, and had several powerful batteries in full play against our further advance. “ Had we not been reinforced in time, our little battery would have been snuffed ont ; but Escobedo, under whose care all artillery had been placed, sent ample succour, and the duel between us became hot and determined, ‘By continually changing position in the open ground we escaped much loss, but we made the woods in front smoke again. ‘“‘T had noticed our infantry cautiously moving up through woods on their flank, and orders came to cease firing. ‘The enemy saw the danger, and moved up their infantry. ‘“With a sudden movement up rose several regi- ments of ours, gave a shout as usual, and ran across the open the open ground and up the slope without firing, but dozens of them knocked over by artillery every moment, ‘““On they went, however, colonels and colours in front, until they got near to the infantry, when volley upon volley greeted them in quick and savage style. “The artillery fight lasted full half-an-hour., ‘Reinforcements went up rapidly until at last the guns were silenced. “A wild yell rent the air, and immediately the order came, ‘¢ Artillery to the front.’ “We moved forward rapidly and passed the scene of the fierce engagement I have described, and found not less than twelve guns deserted, as many more having been drawn off during the fight. ‘‘ The loss in infantry seemed large. The enemy had received an awful lesson, but fought to the last, “Our opponents at this point were Frenchmen, fellows of true. grit, and fought like heroes, dis- puting every inch of ground with great determina- tion and valour. ‘‘We came to a place where the Mexicans had encountered some German regiments ; it waslikea slaughter-house for the poor gunners, few of ours being visible anywhere. ‘The fight was not over, however, by any means, as Incessant musketry on our flanks fully proved. “It seemed, from the line of fire, that our wings were out-flanking the enemy, or that they had been fi: hting too fast for us in the centre. ‘‘ After a little breathing time we commenced the onward movement a third time, deserted camps being to the right, left, and on every side of us, ‘The temptation of so much plunder led scores vi our young troops to halt on some excuse or other, “And the result was that hundreds were lost to their respective regiments, and hung behind for purposes of spoil. ‘‘T was sorry to see this, and remonstrated with many. “But their excuses were so natural or plausible I could do ‘nothing with them. “The majority had not been from home more than a month, and having beaten the enemy in their immediate front, thought the game was all over for that day. : ‘‘ Many were footsore. ‘Others famished, and not a few perfectly ex- hausted, “Driving rapidly through the camps, the scene of slaughter was plain on every hand. ‘“‘The enemy had re-formed their line again, and the roar of artillery opened immediately. “We had scarcely got into position befare six pieces opened on us with great fury, and, in fact, all along the line, “ The first shot killed several horses, and smashed up an empty caisson. “We changed position somewhat, and got within better range of our friends, whose horses and caissons were behind an old farm-house. ‘We hammered away at the house and blew the roof off, knocked in the walls, and got a sight at the caissons. “We did not much care about the guns, for they were firing very rapidly and wildly, “ After a little manceuvring we pointed. fairly at the caissons, and were about to fire. ‘‘* Hold on !’ shouted our general; ‘ point at the guns until ordered—there is a little game on foot,’ “The ‘game’ aforesaid was concocted by the colonel of our supports, “The infantry were to creep up on all fours, while we maintained a furious fire, and being con- cealed by the smoke, should wait until all our shot was concentrated on the caissons, and blowing them up, the infantry should make a sudden rush and secure the guns. ‘The plan succeeded admirably. ““' We suddenly charged on the caissons, gnd blew most of them up; but before the guns could be removed, the infantry were upon them, and des- perately engaged with opposing regiments, ‘“The guns were ours, and proved very elegant and costly. ‘“The line was temporarily broken; but fresh troops came pouring in, and ultimately forced to retire. ‘Yet in strengthening one part of their line they weakened another, ‘And by a vigorous push our infantry and artil- lery made a wide gap lower down to our left, and rushed through it like a torrent. : ‘‘ The fighting now became very confused. ‘‘ Different sections of the enemy’s line wavered and broke, and were crowded into a very small space by large masses in their rear, which seemed unde- cided which way io go or what to do. “Of course our generals did not give them much time to consider, but poured in upon them, and drove them in confused masses towards the river. “The fight was desperately maintained by the Frenchmen, who fought like panthers. ‘‘ But it was of no avail; our admirable plan of battle was still maintained by the quickness and coolness of our several chiefs, among whom I would especially mention the eount and Caspar, “The former, of course, was ever with his fond artillery, and seemed as cool as a cucumber among thirty pieces blazing away like furies, (EO MMKElL NO KS (E)