Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1855-11-14
MISCELLAN N Y.
First Under Fire.

Flfst
Soldiers who have been engaged in ''the dread
ful revelry" af war are often asked how they ist
while performing their duty IN the heat of battle.
| believe that allowance made for all varieties
of temperament--lhere is far greater similarity IN
the sensations felt on these occasions Than Ia
camnonly supposed and that, although habit
bunts, To a certain extent, the perception OF dan
yer. it never takes off the keenneSs 0f lis edge
Ihe impressions Ut this kind made upon my mlnd
as fighting soldier in Mexico are still quite fresh.
The soldiers love Of uuvelty aud excitement is
m re han counterp0lse to all depressing ln1lu
ences and at no perud OF his career does his
spirit show itself more buoyant than when he has
been ordered out on campaign. Ii Is only after
he has endured soIne of the stern realities OF The
situation that he begins TO cast nervous glance
or two upan the ruad before him. One Of the
mast common and natural OF the sources fappre-
hension that disturb the young soldier, and one
which his first engagement always finally dis
poses of. is fear that his faculties may be so pa
raiyzed by the spectacle of carnage during an en-
oa cement that, 5eiug rendered faint and incapable
ot performing his duty the stain OF cowardce may
taint his charac,er NVih his first battle this ap
prehension vanishes, and he discovers that when
he is once fairly in action the excitement is in
~.
the work ON hand Cumrades fall wounded a
rouud him and are scarcely noticed; there is no
time Tor pity. tear, or any thing but acton.
| am Scochman by birth, but enlisted into the
American serv ce. Ii mt my fortune To come
To close quarters with the enemy until had been
nearly three months in Mexico. | consequently
experienced portion OF that uneasy state OF feel
inG which have just mentioned beuTe first meet
4 h,I fnt
liar with the sound, and with the fury, too, of
shot and shell in trenches at Vera Cruz, aud was
ON easy terms with them. Constant rumors OF
attacks, medtaed on our rear, had helped also To
keep the idea of close conflict familiar. In camp
at Vera Cruz had become acquainted with an
old soldier, Billy Wright, fellow countryman,
who had served in his youth under Wellington,
and been in several engagements without recelv
inp any serinus wounds He had also fought with
the Indians in the Florida war. frequently talk
ed with this cotnrade on the subject OF my hrst
engagement; and his advice to me invariably was
that. as soon as firing had commenced, | should
lire and load as expedtiously as possible, taking
uood aim in which case he assured me that
should feel all right alter the first few rounds
Poor old fellow passed him, as he sat down,
after the first few rounds at my first battle, Ger
70 Gordo, wounded but he recovered from the
woIol. however, and was sent home to receive Il
pension.
We had lain inactive four or five days at Plan
del Rios few miles from the enemy's strong posi-
tion at Cerro Gordo, whsn Gen. Scott, having ar
rived and examined as closely as possible the
snemy's strength and position, at oace decided on
his plan Of action In pursuance ot hls design
Gen TwiggS, with his division, comprising lhe
regiment to when belonged, was ordered TO ad
vance BY wIy-dlscuvered route through the
bottom Of rayine, aud TO gain commanding
position on the top Of high uniorllned NIL. IL
was while moving down the ravlne, which mad
been partially cleared by our pioneers, and while
waiting until party OF the rIi1es should nave
beat up suspicious looking bit OF chaparral IN
'front.' that we began to feel that we were on the
point OF meeting with the enemy 6ut we had no
expectation OF any thing more than sKiFlhlSh'-
shot CT two Irum the muskets Ot the enemy was
following by the cracking Of our rifles ana at
double quick time we descended to the bottom oi
a steep hill, partly covered with brushwood, on
the top of which stood body OF the Mexican III
ianry busy engaged in firing down upon US as
we came in sight. Luckily tor us their firing did
bu little damage and, ordered to charge, we,
with loud hurrah, began running up the hill
w neu near tue We w "uu '''V
Mexicans went off as quickly as our shot, closely
pursued by us up the hill. An eifrt was made
by sume Of our captains to form their men into
computes as they reached the top; but they could
culec, only few. and Snon gave up the attempt.
We pursued the flying MeSicans down The oP-
posite side of the hill, which was only divided
irum Cerru GIrdu by ravine. across which the
unemy's battery fred grape among US; while
some thousands of infantry, clustered like bees on
the top and sides Of CerrO Gordo, kept up against
rs an incessant fire of musketry. Our men now
BEGAN to fall fast and it was partly owing to
the proverbal bad firing of the Mexcans that our
small party OF between six and seven hundred
for the united regiments of rides and artillery did
not number more-was not annihilated. As 1t
was our killed and wounded amounted to about
two hundred. The affair lasted between two and
three hours, and this was the first time OF my
meeting the iOe face 10 face.
found the meeting, after all, not such terri
ole affair as had fancied. To say that felt no