A moaning and ghastly load—the wounded—the dying—the dead!
For ever upon their traces followed the whistling lead,
Our bravest the mark, yet unscathed and undaunted, he pushed ahead.
Alone? Save for one that from love of his leader or soldierly pride
(Hearing his call for aid, and seeing that none replied),
Plunged and swam by the crazy craft on the other side.
But Heaven! what weary toil! for the river is wide, is deep;
The current is swift, and the bank on the further side is steep.
'Tis reached at last, and a hundred of ours to the rescue leap.
Oh, they cheered as he rose from the stream and the water-drops flowed away!
"But I couldn't do less!" in the silence that followed we heard him say;
Then the wounded cheered, and the swooning awoke in the barge where they lay.
And I?—Ah, well, I swam by the barge on the other side;
But an orderly goes wherever his leader chooses to ride.
Come life or come death I couldn't do less than follow his guide.
Edith M. Thomas.
The Confederate cavalry pushed on toward the Susquehanna, sacked Chambersburg, and filled all western Pennsylvania with panic. Grant at once got together a large force to repel this invasion, and placed it under command of General Sheridan. On September 19, 1864, the Confederates attacked his troops at Winchester, but Sheridan beat them off and punished them so severely that he supposed they had enough. With that impression, he went to Washington on official business, leaving his men strongly posted on Cedar Creek. There, on the morning of October 19, the Confederates attacked them, front, flank, and rear.
SHERIDAN AT CEDAR CREEK
[October 19, 1864]
Shoe the steed with silver
That bore him to the fray,
When he heard the guns at dawning—
Miles away;
When he heard them calling, calling—
Mount! nor stay:
Quick, or all is lost;
They've surprised and stormed the post,
They push your routed host—
Gallop! retrieve the day.