Choice Specimens of American Literature, and Literary Reader · Chapter 349=430.= "the Sergeant's Story."
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Our army lay, At break of day, A full league from the foe away. At set of sun, The battle done, We cheered our triumph, dearly won.
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All night before, We marked the roar Of hostile guns that on us bore; And 'here and there, The sudden blare Of fitful bugles smote the air.
No idle word The quiet stirred Among us as the morning neared; And brows were bent, As silent went Unto its post each regiment.
Blank broke the day, And wan and gray The drifting clouds went on their way. So sad the morn, Our colors torn, Upon the ramparts drooped forlorn!
At early sun, The vapors dun Were lifted by a nearer gun; At stroke of nine, Auspicious sign The sun shone out along the line.
Then loud and clear, From cannoneer And rifleman arose a cheer; For as the gray Mists cleared away, We saw the charging foe's array.
[Footnote 103: Of a Louisiana family: is considered one of the most promising of the young writers of the South. The present is a favorable specimen of the poetry of the secession writers.]
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=John Hay.=[104]
From "Pike County Ballads."