 | Poems Old and New by Charles D. Bell |  |
234
THE NIGHT CHARGE AT KASSASSÍN.
Kassassín? You would hear how we fought there, you say—
Of the charge of our Guards on that fair August night,
How we scattered the flank of the Egyptians like spray,
When the storm drives the waves 'gainst the shore in its might.
Of the charge of our Guards on that fair August night,
How we scattered the flank of the Egyptians like spray,
When the storm drives the waves 'gainst the shore in its might.
The moon shone above us, the great burning stars
Were gleaming like gems in the heart of the sky;
And I thought, “What to them are earth's tumults and wars,
As they hold their bright path through the spaces on high?”
Were gleaming like gems in the heart of the sky;
And I thought, “What to them are earth's tumults and wars,
As they hold their bright path through the spaces on high?”
We rode o'er the ridges of waste, arid sands,
Now whitened and blanch'd in the tremulous glow,
And a hush as of death fell over our bands,
All eager to grapple and close with the foe.
Now whitened and blanch'd in the tremulous glow,
And a hush as of death fell over our bands,
All eager to grapple and close with the foe.
235
The silence was awful—no man spoke a word;
No horse broke the stillness with snort or with neigh;
But at intervals Drury Lowe's order was heard,
As through the night-watches we spurred on our way.
No horse broke the stillness with snort or with neigh;
But at intervals Drury Lowe's order was heard,
As through the night-watches we spurred on our way.
Thus marched we for hours, and never drew rein,
But rode on to glory through glimmer and gloom;
And we felt as we galloped the terrible strain—
When sudden there burst on the night a loud boom!
But rode on to glory through glimmer and gloom;
And we felt as we galloped the terrible strain—
When sudden there burst on the night a loud boom!
And lo! looking over the ridges of sand,
We saw just before us a line long and white,
And we waited afire for the word of command,
To bear down on the foe and meet them in fight.
We saw just before us a line long and white,
And we waited afire for the word of command,
To bear down on the foe and meet them in fight.
Then the roar of a shell, with a deep crashing sound
Like the blast of a thunder-clap, smote on the ear;
It burst close at our feet, where it ploughed up the ground,
And each horse 'neath its rider plunged wildly in fear.
Like the blast of a thunder-clap, smote on the ear;
It burst close at our feet, where it ploughed up the ground,
And each horse 'neath its rider plunged wildly in fear.
Now hissing around us the iron hail fell,
And a murderous fire in hot showers of red rain,
While the sulphurous smoke made a pall dark as hell,
And the balls grazed our foreheads again and again.
And a murderous fire in hot showers of red rain,
While the sulphurous smoke made a pall dark as hell,
And the balls grazed our foreheads again and again.
Then Drury Lowe ordered our guns to reply,
And the Guards at his word cleared before them a way,
And a flash, lighting up both the earth and the sky,
Blazed a moment as fierce as the sun at noon-day.
And the Guards at his word cleared before them a way,
And a flash, lighting up both the earth and the sky,
Blazed a moment as fierce as the sun at noon-day.
236
The strife now began; Ewart's order was heard,—
“Form in front in two lines! Now draw swords and charge all!”
And upon them we dashed at our General's word,
Determined to carry their posts, or to fall.
“Form in front in two lines! Now draw swords and charge all!”
And upon them we dashed at our General's word,
Determined to carry their posts, or to fall.
And we cheered—such a cheer!—o'er the desert it rose;
It thrilled to the stars—died—then silence again;
Then the flashing of sabres—the cries of our foes—
Fierce slaughter and melée of horses and men.
It thrilled to the stars—died—then silence again;
Then the flashing of sabres—the cries of our foes—
Fierce slaughter and melée of horses and men.
Grim Death was now busy,—the foe fought us well,—
Death from musket and rifle,—from shrapnel and gun;
But we drove them before us,—gapped their lines with our shell,
And launched on their columns, saw them waver and run.
Death from musket and rifle,—from shrapnel and gun;
But we drove them before us,—gapped their lines with our shell,
And launched on their columns, saw them waver and run.
I myself got a wound in the chances of war,
But I cleft in the skull of the dark face who fell,
Wiped the blood with my sleeve—see, here is the scar;
He rolled at my feet with a horrible yell.
But I cleft in the skull of the dark face who fell,
Wiped the blood with my sleeve—see, here is the scar;
He rolled at my feet with a horrible yell.
Many a masterless steed rushed past at his will;
For death came on each of the balls whizzing by,
And the hand that had reined him was nerveless and still,
The rider had dropped from the saddle to die.
For death came on each of the balls whizzing by,
And the hand that had reined him was nerveless and still,
The rider had dropped from the saddle to die.
237
All at once the fight ceased,—the foe turned and fled;
Our horse rode them down, sweeping on, like a wave,
And, leaving behind them the dying and dead,
In Kassassín's sands to find them a grave.
Our horse rode them down, sweeping on, like a wave,
And, leaving behind them the dying and dead,
In Kassassín's sands to find them a grave.
As we followed them close, and pressed hard on their rear,
Each musket-fire carried dark Death on its wing,
And the cries of the wounded rose shrill on the ear,
And the roar of the guns and the rifles' sharp ring.
Each musket-fire carried dark Death on its wing,
And the cries of the wounded rose shrill on the ear,
And the roar of the guns and the rifles' sharp ring.
Some fell down unwounded—the cowards! the slaves!
Fear-stricken like ninepins they fell—all unmanned;
And we galloped right on,—never heeding the knaves,
Who lay at our feet, crouching low on the sand.
Fear-stricken like ninepins they fell—all unmanned;
And we galloped right on,—never heeding the knaves,
Who lay at our feet, crouching low on the sand.
The treacherous devils! They shrank from fair fight,
But our horses they stabbed with their daggers and knives.
They gashed them, and hacked them—ah, pitiful sight!
But they paid for their cunning at cost of their lives.
But our horses they stabbed with their daggers and knives.
They gashed them, and hacked them—ah, pitiful sight!
But they paid for their cunning at cost of their lives.
We charged for a space, when Ewart cried out,
“Rally all!” In a moment we rallied our men,
Who fell into order, then wheeled right about,
And marched through the night in firm masses again.
“Rally all!” In a moment we rallied our men,
Who fell into order, then wheeled right about,
And marched through the night in firm masses again.
Kassassín was now ours. 'Twas done at a blow—
The enemy dead, or all scattered in flight;
And we marching again in pursuit of the foe,
Still ready and eager for siege or for fight.
The enemy dead, or all scattered in flight;
238
Still ready and eager for siege or for fight.
Was ever a battle so speedily won?
Was ever an onset more splendidly made?
Begun in the moonlight, ere dawn it was done—
Who could stand 'gainst the charge of our noble Brigade?
Was ever an onset more splendidly made?
Begun in the moonlight, ere dawn it was done—
Who could stand 'gainst the charge of our noble Brigade?
Yes, there's glory in war. But what of the cost?
The blood and the anguish, hopes wrecked, lives undone?
Well said he who said that “a battle that's lost
Is only more dreadful than battle that's won.”
The blood and the anguish, hopes wrecked, lives undone?
Well said he who said that “a battle that's lost
Is only more dreadful than battle that's won.”
Thanks to God, our dear country is clear in her name!
Ours no selfish struggle; we fought for the true—
For order and law, not for glory and fame:
When called to such war, what could Englishmen do?
Ours no selfish struggle; we fought for the true—
For order and law, not for glory and fame:
When called to such war, what could Englishmen do?
England, proud of the charge that her cavalry made,
When they scattered like chaff Arabi's great host,
Will embalm in her memory “The Fighting Brigade”
Through all time with the names that she cherishes most.
When they scattered like chaff Arabi's great host,
Will embalm in her memory “The Fighting Brigade”
Through all time with the names that she cherishes most.
In her great throbbing heart to the uttermost age
Will live amongst those she holds honoured and dear,
The men who gave history so brilliant a page
At Kassassín, Cairo, and Tel-el-Kebir.
Will live amongst those she holds honoured and dear,
The men who gave history so brilliant a page
At Kassassín, Cairo, and Tel-el-Kebir.
| Poems Old and New by Charles D. Bell | |