File:Cedar creek- a poem (1901) (14741400186).jpg

Identifier: cedarcreekpoem00polh (find matches)
Title: Cedar creek: a poem
Year: 1901 (1900s)
Authors: Polhamus, William Henry Harrison
Subjects:
Publisher: Cleveland, O., The Imperial press
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: Sloan Foundation

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Like a withering cyclone they then charge the foeAnd each column its formation kept. The fight which was furious has now grown sub- Hme ;The mad screaming shell to the bugles keep timeAs they charge and re-charge along the whole line.George Custers bold horsemen sweep round on the rightAnd land square on the enemys flankThat lay near the river, then plainly in sight,And using their sabres with all of their might,We soon had the whole rebel army in flightCrost the stream to the opposite bank. Nine full rebel batteries stopped over thereAnd took up position with painstaking care,As if urged by motives akin to despair.Our riders quailed not at this desperate prank, They knew that their moment had come ;So quicker than magic they close up each rank,And driving the spur in their weary steeds flank.They charge through the stream, up the oppositebank, And sabre the men at their guns.
Text Appearing After Image:
That feat was accomplished at terrible cost,When counting the number of lives that were lostEre the river was reached, and the water was crossed.God comfort the mothers, God pitv the sons That were out in that murderous rain ;For ere we could form, fifty-four rebel gunsSent grape-shot and canister, shrapnel and bombs,In volley on vollev which through our ranksplunged,Till the way was strewn thick with our slain. The charge was most brilliant, and v/ell it de-servesAn honorable mention in historic verse ;Twas never surpassed by another on earth.The sweep of their fire can scarcelv be known — Twas like swarms of bees rudely unhived.And were I to speak from impressions alone,Vd say that a million of missiles were thrownAt each trooper crossing that hot torridzone ;And 1 marvel that any survived.32 The scene that ensued beggars language to tell;Twas a wild frightful orgie, depicted quite wellIn Dantes Inferno by The Break-up in Hell.Like a storm-swollen river, when bursting its banks,Le

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