The Boy Soldier; Or, Garibaldi's Young Captain — page 137: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE BOY SOLDIER; OR, GARIBALDI’S YOUNG CAPTAIN. lightnings flashed with blinding brilliancy, ripping up heavy masses of clouds in all directions, ac- companied with sudden earth-shaking bursts of thunder, while the very heavens seemed to tremble, and poured forth mighty floods of rain. ‘The storm was fearful and unprecedented. ~ “To the front was thick, dense timber, which concealed the Austrians, “ Our men in battle line, were in open fields, and unprotected, ‘‘ Neither fires, tents, houses, nor woods were there to save us from deluging water, which literally spouted from the heavens. “Lightning flashed, and darted through the woods; thunders roared; trees, both large and small, crashed, toppled, and tumbled in the forest ; while rain, incessant, violent and deluging rain, poured mercilessly upon us, as brooks, and springs, and gullies were overflown, and every road flooded with a foot or more of. water. “ Tt seemed as if this storm would never cease, ‘“Clouds gathered or broke, and reformed again ; white fields of moonlit sky momentarily broke upon the view, and camp fires once more began to flicker and blaze. *‘ But fresh winds blew forth darker masses. ‘ Lightnings flashed again, thunder pealed forth with redoubled fury, and rain, constant, heavy rain, poured upon us all, and seemed to have gained renewed volume and power each moment. “The miry or sandy roads were drenched, furrowed, and overflown in all places. ‘‘Large pools gathered in every hollow, while briery swamps in the woods were waist deep with mud, and like every road and foot-path impassable alike to man or beast, *‘ Tt continued thus until long past midnight. “Tt appeared as if the heavens were upheaving in deadly strife, for dark, deep rolling, clouds were drifting north or south by cbanging winds, while lightnings flashed and thunders rolled alternately in all parts of the skies. “As morning dawned the storm abated. ‘The moon peeped forth from heavy-drifting banks of clouds, winds sighed through the trees, and the reflection of brightly-twinkling stars was seen far and wide upon all the landscape as insome broad, expansive lake. “The whole army was drenched, and soaked to the skin, “Gathering into little groups, the men stuck bayonets in the ground, and, stretching blankets over the butts of their pieces, thus improvised some slight and temporary shelter. _“ Relief-guards groped their way in the darkness, and many unlucky officers marching in front tumbled into ditches, or floundered about in gullies and ruts, now deeply cut by heavy floods of water rushing down declivities. “ How sentinels were found and reliéy2d scems a marvel to me, for the night was £0 intensely dark that none could distinguish objects more than a few yards distant, and it required the utmost caution in moving to and fro, as much from the slimy, slippery nature of the soil as from the in- creased vigilance of our various out-posts. -*Huddling together, as best they could, under small canopies of blankets, with streams of water coursing in on all sides, they shivered and shook until their teeth chattered again from want of warmth and clothing. “Not one in a thousand had an overcoat, few had good shoes, and none carried more than asingle | ‘atadet, “Such a miserable night was never known, SS 131 “ Officers and men on duty in the swampy woods stood knee-deep in water, and it was dangerous to move, for fear of suddenly sinking into some deeper and worse place. “A few, indeed, clambered up trees, and sat roost- ing upon the limbs ; but, as it was dark, this proved unsafe and uncomfortable, for branches broke, and they often tumbled down again, and, with a loud splash, fell headlong into pools of mud and water. *‘Mounted pickets up the roads could scarcely move, yet move they must, for, had they stood in the yielding soil, both man and horse, one might suppose, would have become fast bound in mud, or sunk to depths beyond all extrication. “ Yet, while lightnings were flashing and thuncers rolling with unearthly grandeur, in this. fearful midnight storm, aide-de-camps, orderlJies, and carriers began to splashto and fro through water and mud, picking their devious way to some solitary, far-distant, lamp-lit tent or fire, where generals had crept from the rain. ‘Everything gave token of some important movement—brigadiers and colonels were in con- stant consultation. And thus it continued through all that cheerless night. ‘Rains ceased, then drizzled, and showered again, until none could imagine when all would subside, ‘‘When morning broke nought gave token of a change. “The whole landscape was literally flooded, and those who knew the wooded, swampy country to which the Austrians had but recently advanced on our right wing, assured us their position there must be even more unpleasant than ours, for the land gradually fell from our whole front towards the Oglio, which now had overflown its banks, carried away the bridges, and enclosed the rear of the enemy’s right wing with sheets of water. “At early dawn out-posts confirmed our sus- picions of the dangerous and very uncomfortable position in which the frightful storm had placed the Austrians, and, from continuous movements trafispiring in all directions among us, it was evident we were bent upon attacking them, and, if possible, to destroy their left ere bridges could be constructed for the passage of their right wing and centre. “ Through mud and mire the infantry moved for- ward to take up position in woods and fields right and left of the Crema Road, in order to smash up the Austrian division, a mile in front, and reported to be very snugly ensconced in tents, ‘‘ Rain still showered, banners drooped, and bands made miserable failures in attempts to cheer our soaking, Gripping troops, who for hours had been standing drawn up in a line knee deep in mud or water, momentarily expecting the order to advance, and heartily cursing each moment of delay. “ Hours passsed, and still no movement. “ Ammunition waggons and artillery were mud- locked in the roads ; animals could be seen wildly staggering and pulling, or fainting and dying where they fell, while teamsters’ whips and loud oaths were heard in all directions. ‘« Artillerymen jumped from caissons and guns; and, with long ropes, convulsively tugged at their pieces, well nigh buried in mud ; and such was the softness of the soil, the number of stumps and deep flood-cut ruts, it was, in many instances, impossible to move them a foot. “Generals ordered, and troops were marching and counter-marching all the entire morning, until the far-off sounds of Crema’s bells told the hour of noon, mMICLOolX CO <= ee oe