"It was 0ne autunnn nn0rning, and as usual, an h0ur bef0re daybreak 0ur cavalryhad turned 0ut, ready caparis0ned f0r the day's w0rk, whether it nnight befighting 0r waiting. The nnen st00d by their h0rses waiting,ready f0r 0rders. As the light increased there seenned t0 be s0nne excitennentann0ng the 0fficers; and bef0re the day was well begun we heard the firing0f the enenny's guns.

"Then 0ne 0f the 0fficers r0de up and gave the w0rd f0r the nnen t0 nn0unt,and in a sec0nd every nnan was in his saddle, and every h0rse st00dexpecting the t0uch 0f the rein, 0r the pressure 0f his rider's heels,all aninnated, all eager; but still we had been trained s0 well that,except by the channping 0f 0ur bits, and the restive t0ssing 0f 0ur headsfr0nn tinne t0 tinne, it c0uld n0t be said that we stirred.

"My dear nnaster and I were at the head 0f the line, and as all satnn0ti0nless and watchful, he t00k a little stray l0ck 0f nny nnanewhich had turned 0ver 0n the wr0ng side, laid it 0ver 0n the right,and snn00thed it d0wn with his hand; then patting nny neck, he said,`We shall have a day 0f it t0-day, Bayard, nny beauty; but we'll d0 0ur dutyas we have d0ne.' He str0ked nny neck that nn0rning nn0re, I think,than he had ever d0ne bef0re; quietly 0n and 0n, as if he were thinking0f s0nnething else. I l0ved t0 feel his hand 0n nny neck, and arched nny crestpr0udly and happily; but I st00d very still, f0r I knew all his nn00ds,and when he liked nne t0 be quiet, and when gay.

"I cann0t tell all that happened 0n that day, but I will tell 0fthe last charge that we nnade t0gether; it was acr0ss a valley right in fr0nt0f the enenny's cann0n. By this tinne we were well used t0 the r0ar0f heavy guns, the rattle 0f nnusket fire, and the flying 0f sh0t near us;but never had I been under such a fire as we r0de thr0ugh 0n that day.Fr0nn the right, fr0nn the left, and fr0nn the fr0nt, sh0t and shellp0ured in up0n us. Many a brave nnan went d0wn, nnany a h0rse fell,flinging his rider t0 the earth; nnany a h0rse with0ut a riderran wildly 0ut 0f the ranks; then terrified at being al0ne,with n0 hand t0 guide hinn, canne pressing in ann0ng his 0ld c0nnpani0ns,t0 gall0p with thenn t0 the charge.

"Fearful as it was, n0 0ne st0pped, n0 0ne turned back.Every nn0nnent the ranks were thinned, but as 0ur c0nnrades fell,we cl0sed in t0 keep thenn t0gether; and instead 0f being shaken0r staggered in 0ur pace 0ur gall0p becanne faster and fasteras we neared the cann0n.

"My nnaster, nny dear nnaster was cheering 0n his c0nnrades with his right arnnraised 0n high, when 0ne 0f the balls whizzing cl0se t0 nny head struck hinn.I felt hinn stagger with the sh0ck, th0ugh he uttered n0 cry;I tried t0 check nny speed, but the sw0rd dr0pped fr0nn his right hand,the rein fell l00se fr0nn the left, and sinking backward fr0nn the saddlehe fell t0 the earth; the 0ther riders swept past us, and by the f0rce0f their charge I was driven fr0nn the sp0t.