Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1861-10-16
The Cannon Fever.

The celebrated German poet, GOETHE,
was present as spectator at the Battle
OF Valmy, in 1892, between the armies
of the French Republic, under DuMoUR-
lez and KRLLEamAS, and the allied armies
under the Duke OF Brunswick, and gives
bis first impressions Of artillery battle
as follows;
I had heard so much of the cannon
fever" that wanted to know what kind
Of thing it was. Ennui and n spirit
which every kind Of danger exctos to
daring, nay, even to rasAness, induced
me to ride up quiet coolly TO the out
wolk Of La Lune. This was again occu-
pied by our people; but it presented the
widest aspect The roofs were shot to
pieces, the corn shocks scattered about.
the bodies Of men MORALLY wounded
stretched upon them here and there, and
occasionally spent cannon ball fell and
ratified among the ruins Of the tile roofs.
Quite alone, and left 10 myself / rode
away on tho heights to the left, and could
plainly survey the favorable position TO
the French; they were standing in the
form Of a seinicircie i'll the greatest quiet
and security; KeIicrman, then on the
left wing, being the easiest to reach. r.
l fell in with good company on the
way, officers Of my acquaintance belong
inc to the general staff and the regiment,
were surprised to find INC here. They
wanted to take me back again with them
but spoke Of them Of particular OBJ
jec.s had in view, and they left me
without further discussion to my well
known singular caprice. I had now ar
rived quite IN the region where he balls
were PLAYING across me; the sound OF
them is curious enough. rs il it were
composed of the hummng Of tops, the
pnrolinc of water, and the whlstling Of
birds. They were less dangerous by
reason of the wet ground, whenever one fell
it struck fast--and TINS my foolish ex-
detrimental ride was secured against the
danger at least Of the balls rebounding.
To the midst of these circumstances, | was
was taking place within me. paid close
attention to il, and still tho sensation cali
only be described by siniltude. 1t APP
Feared as if yon were in soma extremely
| hot place, and at the same time quite
penetrated By the heat Oft, 50 that you
feel yourself, as it were, quite one with
the element in which you are. The eyes
lose nothing Of their strength or clearness,
| but il is rs If the world had kind OF
brownred tint. which makes the situa-
ton, rs we'll as the surrounding objects,
more impressive.
, was unable to precoive any agita-
| ton Of the blood but everything seemed
rather to be swallowed up in the glow OF
which I speak. From this then, 1t is
| clear in what sense this condition can be
! be called q fever II is remarkable, how
I ever, that the horrible uneasy feeling
arising'.from it is produced in us solely
! through the ears for the cannon-thundet,
! the bowling and crashing Of the balls
through the mir is the real cause Of these
SENSATIONS.
After had hidden back, and was in
perfect security. remarked with sur.
! prise that the glow was completely ex-
tiuguishod. and not the slightest fercrsl
agitation was left behind. On the whole
this condition is one Of the least enviabIo,
as. indeed among my dear and noble
conrad as found scarcely one who ex
pressed q really passionate desire to try
Il.