Dense clouds of smoke and lurid sheets of flame.

It had its portion in the common fate,

'Too late!' the mocking hoof-beats rang, 'Too late!'

We passed a company, on their return

From executing those instructions stern;

It was the company of my brigade

Wherein I first was a lieutenant made;

Its officers and men I knew by name;

They cheered me when their captain I became;

They cheered me when I left a major's tent,