 | The Romance of the Civil War |  |
75. The Cavalry Charge
By EDMUND CLARENCE STEDMAN (1864)
OUR good steeds snuff the evening air,
Our pulses with their purpose tingle;
The foeman's fires are twinkling there;
He leaps to hear our sabres jingle!
Halt!
Each carbine sent its whizzing ball:
Now, cling! clang! Forward, all,
Into the fight!
Our pulses with their purpose tingle;
The foeman's fires are twinkling there;
He leaps to hear our sabres jingle!
287
Halt!
Each carbine sent its whizzing ball:
Now, cling! clang! Forward, all,
Into the fight!
Dash on beneath the smoking dome:
Through level lightnings gallop nearer!
One look to Heaven! No thoughts of home;
The guidons that we bear are dearer.
Charge!
Cling! clang! Forward, all!
Heaven help those whose horses fall-
Cut left and right !
Through level lightnings gallop nearer!
One look to Heaven! No thoughts of home;
The guidons that we bear are dearer.
Charge!
Cling! clang! Forward, all!
Heaven help those whose horses fall-
Cut left and right !
They flee before our fierce attack!
They fall! they spread in broken surges.
Now, comrades, bear our wounded back,
And leave the foeman to his dirges.
Wheel!
The bugles sound the swift recall:
Cling! clang! Backward, all!
Home, and good-night!
They fall! they spread in broken surges.
Now, comrades, bear our wounded back,
And leave the foeman to his dirges.
Wheel!
The bugles sound the swift recall:
Cling! clang! Backward, all!
Home, and good-night!
| The Romance of the Civil War | |