Alexandria gazette & advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1822-1824, 1823-08-14
MISCELLANEOUS.
From the Literary Gazette.
THE EVE 80 BATTLE.

There is no situation, perhaps, in
which man is more susceptible OF the
kinder feelings Of bis nature, than
when he is about to risk his existence
in the pride of mortal conflict. The
ties of love, of friendship. and OF kin.
dred, seem in that hour to be woven
upre closely round the heart, aud
dparer than they ever were before;
and the probability, that will intrude
itself into the mind. of our SOON be-
ing insensibIe to them all, gives life
a thousand charms.
Agitated by such feelings as these
on the night before a desperate EN-.
ragement; and unable to take the re-
nose which was to fit me for encoun-
tering the fatigues and dangers of the
approaching combat, | strolled some
distance from my tent, hoping the
freshness of the night air might in
some degree calm the feverish fer
msnt of my spirit. 1t was delicious
night in the earlier part of June; and
the full moon shuOe with | thought
unparalleled splendor. The camp
of our army was situated along a
height which gently sided down to a
small river. scarcely musket shot in
breadth, on the opposite side of which.
on a corresponding range OF hills.
was formed that of the enemy. All
was silent as the grave, except when
HOW and then the shI i'll neigh of an
impatient war. horse would for a mo-
ment break the stiffness of the scene.
aud then die away in the distance;
W list round the watchfres that faint
/, studded either camp. and which
CLEANED with CHASTITY lustre in the
pale moonlight, might family be de-
fned the figures OF men, who, as they
passed to and fro, seemed like demons
celebrating their orgies in anticipa-
ton of the scene Of carnage and blood
about TO ensue.
As gazed on the vast assemblage
of tents, whose tops glistened in the
beams of the moon, thought of their
sleeping inmates; of the many who,
now in the arms Of =" natures balmy
comforter" were forgetting theirpast
cares and approaching danger; and
who. ere the setting of the mcrrow's
sun, would sink into that sleep from
which the last trump only would rouse
them. They were then, probably,
transported in their dreams to the
midst of their families, where they
were enjoying all that pasernal kind
ness or tender affection could oest"";
endeal ments which, alas! they were
iated never to enjoy again in reality:
from them l naturally reverted to my
own situation; l thought of my home,
my aged parents. of my brothers and
sisters. of her who might then be gaz-
ing at the lovely planet shining with
a siisery radiance in its enpyreal
course, and breathing a prayer 10
Heaven for my safety. l thought OF
them-all l held dear on earth-'ili .
was almost oyerpowered b! the inten-
sity of my feelings. when, as II to COM
plete the enthusiastic sadness ct the
moment, a strain Of music caught my
ear, and floating in the night breeze,
it died softly away listened, and
again it was repeated. and l could
pIsimly distinguish in the plain tones
and soothing melody of the flute, the
well known and pathetic air of The
Wounded Hussur. 1t came from the
opposite camp, and probably served
to besuiIe tine reflections OF some Lone
Iy wanderer like myself.
have listened to music in all its
forms-I have heard the proud notes
Of triumph in the hour OF victory the
sweetest music tn a soldiers ear
have yielded to the momentary eXhI-
liration produced by the hall room or
Chestra; have experienced the iasCi-
mating enhancement attendant on the
witcheries OF song, when warbled
from the lips OF female loveliness;yet
&here was something in that simple
melody, breathed in such an hour,
and III such situation, which sur
passed them all---it vas so much in
unison with the scene, and my feel
ings at the time, that the cnchant-
meut it then possessed, has continued
till the present moment, and will to
Aha laat hnnn nf my existance