The miscellaneous works of David Humphreys Late Minister Plenipotentiary from the United States of America to the Court of Madrid |
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 | The miscellaneous works of David Humphreys |  |
The dubious dawn o'er Monmouth's plain that shone,
Crimson'd the clouds before the rising sun;
Where Britain's cavalry, in dreadful length,
Stood, sword in hand, a living wall of strength!
Simcoe's videttes by glimm'ring embers move,
Like gliding shapes in some enchanted grove:
While scatter'd far, at first approach of morn,
Tarleton's light scouts now blew the bugle-horn.
Mean while our troops, observant of their plan,
Sounded the matin trump along the van:
Straight at the sound, up springs, with nimble speed,
The ready rider on the ready steed;
No loath'd delay, no hateful halt occurs,
Wheel'd to the charge with all the speed of spurs.
Red rose the sun; the sabres bluely bright
Leap'd from their scabbards on his sanguine light.
Fairer than beauteous forms young fancy feigns,
Pour'd Britain's squadrons o'er th' embattled plains,
From Arab sires commenc'd the lofty breed,
Their strength the thunder and the wind their speed:
In Britain's fields they fed, there learn'd to prance
In gorgeous ranks, and meet the lifted lance—
No more in Britain's fields to feed at large,
Prance in proud ranks and meet in mimic charge—
Unconscious of their fate! to fall in gore,
Or toil inglorious on a foreign shore.
In flank the Chasseur troops less gay were seen,
And false Columbians cloath'd like them in green:
Ingrates! to play a patricidal part,
And strive to stab their country to the heart!
To meet that mingled force, Columbia's steeds,
Long pamper'd high amid her flow'ry meads,
With speed electric rush'd—the rapid band,
With horny hoofs, uphurl'd th' eddying sand.
Then wrapp'd in dust and smoke the fight began,
Steed furious springs on steed, and man on man:
As fire-balls burst with startling flash at night,
So clash Columbian sabres sparkling bright;
Mixing with British blades, whose dancing flare
Makes horrid circles, hissing high in air.
From steely helms incessant lightnings flash,
And death sits frequent in the ghastly gash.
With inextinguishable rage, so rush'd
Both hostile lines, by mutual fury push'd:
So toil'd in blood, till drain'd of wonted force,
Promiscuous fell the rider and the horse.
Though squadrons hew'd down squadrons, none would yield,
Till signals gave to wider war the field.
Crimson'd the clouds before the rising sun;
Where Britain's cavalry, in dreadful length,
Stood, sword in hand, a living wall of strength!
Simcoe's videttes by glimm'ring embers move,
Like gliding shapes in some enchanted grove:
While scatter'd far, at first approach of morn,
Tarleton's light scouts now blew the bugle-horn.
Mean while our troops, observant of their plan,
Sounded the matin trump along the van:
Straight at the sound, up springs, with nimble speed,
The ready rider on the ready steed;
No loath'd delay, no hateful halt occurs,
Wheel'd to the charge with all the speed of spurs.
Red rose the sun; the sabres bluely bright
Leap'd from their scabbards on his sanguine light.
Fairer than beauteous forms young fancy feigns,
Pour'd Britain's squadrons o'er th' embattled plains,
From Arab sires commenc'd the lofty breed,
Their strength the thunder and the wind their speed:
In Britain's fields they fed, there learn'd to prance
In gorgeous ranks, and meet the lifted lance—
No more in Britain's fields to feed at large,
Prance in proud ranks and meet in mimic charge—
Unconscious of their fate! to fall in gore,
Or toil inglorious on a foreign shore.
In flank the Chasseur troops less gay were seen,
And false Columbians cloath'd like them in green:
Ingrates! to play a patricidal part,
And strive to stab their country to the heart!
To meet that mingled force, Columbia's steeds,
Long pamper'd high amid her flow'ry meads,
With speed electric rush'd—the rapid band,
With horny hoofs, uphurl'd th' eddying sand.
Then wrapp'd in dust and smoke the fight began,
Steed furious springs on steed, and man on man:
As fire-balls burst with startling flash at night,
So clash Columbian sabres sparkling bright;
172
Makes horrid circles, hissing high in air.
From steely helms incessant lightnings flash,
And death sits frequent in the ghastly gash.
With inextinguishable rage, so rush'd
Both hostile lines, by mutual fury push'd:
So toil'd in blood, till drain'd of wonted force,
Promiscuous fell the rider and the horse.
Though squadrons hew'd down squadrons, none would yield,
Till signals gave to wider war the field.
| The miscellaneous works of David Humphreys | |