The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1858-11-24

cotton bales. but he seemed fixed aud
: motionless as q statue. At last he
moved, threw back the hat rim over the
crown with his left hand, raised the
rifle to his shoulder, and took aim ss
our group. Our eyes were riveted on
him. At whom bad he leyeled his
piece? But the distance was Q, great
that We looked at each other and smiled,
! We cav the rife fash, and my right
hand companion, as noblo looking fsl.
low as ever rode ct the head Of his reg.
imsnt, fell from his saddle. The hur.
ter paused a few moments, xithous
moving his gun from his shoulder. thoa
reloaded and resumed his former atsi.
tude. Throwing the hat rim over his
eyes and again holding It up with The
left hand he Hxed his piereing case upoa
rs as it hunting out another victim.
Once more the hat rim was thrown back
and the gun raised to the shoulder
This time we did not smile, but cas-,
short glanoes at each other, to see which
of us must die; and whom the rife again
flashed, another of us dropped to the,
earth. There was something awful 10
thus marching on to certain death.
Gen. Cofee's battery and thousands o.
musset balls played upon- our ranks; We
cared not for them--there was q chance
Of escaping unsoathed. Most Of "a had
walked upon batteries q hundred times
more destructive without quailinR; bus
to know that every time that ritie wss
levelled toward US and its bullet sprane
from the barrel one CT us must rs surely
fall To see the cleaning sun fash as
the deadly iron came down, and see IL.
rest motionless, if poised upon a rosk.
and know, when the hammer struck and
the sparks dew to the full-prined pan
that the messenger of death drove uner-
Fingly to its goal. to know this and still
march on was awful
could see nothing bat the tall figure
standing on the breastWork. He seemed
TO grow phantom. like, taller and taller.
Assuming through the smoke the snper.
natural appearance of some great spirit.
Again did he re load and discharge his
rife with the same unfai;ing aim; aud i,
was with indesoribable pleasure that I
beheld, as We neared the American lines,
the sulphurous smoke gather around rs.
md shut that spectral hunter from my
gaze. We lost the battle; and to my
mind the Kentucky rifemen contribeted
more to our defeat than anything else;
'or while be remained to our sight our
attention was drawn from our duties
md when at last we became enshrouded
n the smoke the work was complete: we
we're IN utter confusion, and unable, in
he extremity, to restore order sufzeiept
% make any successful attack.
So long as thousands and thoussnds
If rifles remain in the hands of the peo.
'le. SO long as men come up from their
'hildhood able, ere the down appears on
he chin, to hit the center of q mark. OF
trike the deer at one hundred and ffIy
1ards in the most vital part, so long ns
here is great portion of the Republic
gho live as free as the wild Indian, know
ng no leader but their own choosing,
no law but that Of right, and
he honorable observance Of frieadly in.
ercourse, America is uucopquerable; aud
IL tho armies Of the combined world,
hough they might drive them from the
ca coast and across the Allegheny noun.
aims would not be able to subdue the
hunters among the moun-
aims and greatprairies, and mighty riV.
rs Of the West.
SrNeuLAR SToRY.-The Court lexr.
'aI has the following interesting story: