Poetical Works (1857) (Paperback)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: INKERMANN: Stag. / / / " t /.../. We had no ,leader, he the hero of a hundred fights was dead; Flank and rear unguarded, open, o'er the hill our ranks were spread: " Overwrought our strength and wasted, in our weakness left supine, With the sense of failure on us, and the feeling of decline. For the Soldier's pride was humbled, sunk in the o'er- laboured slave: Fiery valour paled and fainted in the trenches' reeking grave ! And the chivalry of England melted from us like the dew; While the foemen, sternly smiling, saw how want and sickness slew. It was midnight, then, when Morning's grey eye opens on her, sleet Of the drifted storm and vapour robed earth with its winding-sheet: Sleepless in our trenches watching, from the valleys upward wound On our ears the far bells tolling with a wild and broken sound. Hark ! from the ravine beneath us swells a hoarser deeper tone, As of distant chariots wheeling, but the sound hath nearer grown Like the tread of marching armies, with the stern and stifled hum; And the clang of bayonets serried?'tis the foe,? they come, they come ! Then was hurrying to the frontward, rank on rank, and foot to foot, Planted like the rock we stood on, and as moveless there and mute: Each man held his breath suspended, each arm firmer grasped the steel, With the thrilling joy felt in him such as heroes only feel. Ho, they stand upon the ridges !?they have won the steep ascent, And their red artillery opens, and our foremost ranks are rent; On they came with bayonets flashing, and a wild and thrilling yell, Heard o'er the earth-shaking cannon?battle's shock? air-shattering shell. Like a whirlwind on their masses we were swept as on the rock, And their ocean of steel l...