Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1861-08-08
2f(istrllaneous.
A Soldiers Emotion in Battle.

"A SOlNHcE y laNOttOH lh ndsasc'
Our citizen soldiers, inexperienced in
the battle field, will find the most terrible
moments just before the battle begins
a soldier, in his narration of personalad
ventures in the Mexican war, published
in"IIowe's Achievements of Americans" !"
gives some interesting items on this head
IN his description of the battle of Palo
Alto the opening battle of the war;
When all was ready, both armies stood
still for about twenty minutes each wait
ing for the other to begin the work of
death, and during this time | did not see
stood like statues. We remained quiet,
with twoexceptions; Gen. Tylor, followed
by his staff, rode from left to right at a
slow pace, with his legs thrown over like a
woman, and as he passed each regiment
he spoke words of encouragement. |
know not what he said to the other, but
when he came to where we stood, he
looked steadily at us, | suppose to see
what effect the novel circumstances in
which we were placed had upon us, and
as he gazcd he said; "1He bayonet, my
hardy cocks; the bayonet is the thing. -
| The other occasion was that OF Lieut..
Blake, of the engineers, who volunteered
to gallop along the enemy's line, in front
of both armies, and count their guns, and
so close did he go that he might have
been shot hundred times. One of the
sfficers of the enemy, doubtless thinking
he had same communication to make,
rode out to meet him; Blake, however,
paid no attention to him, but rode on, and
then returned and reported to Gen. Tay-
lor.
Thus stood those two belligerent armies,
face to face. What were the feelings ol
those thousands. How many thoughts
and fears were crowded into those few
moments ! Look at our men calm
sweat is settled all over faces slightly
pale, not from cowardly ar but from an
awful sense of peril, combined with de-
termination not to finch from duty.-
These are the moments in which the true
soldiers resign themselves to the retlec-
ton that whatever my befall them they
will act with honor; these are the mo-
ments when the absolute coward suffer S
more than death--when, if not certain he
would be shot in his tracks, he would
turn and flee. Fighting is very hard work;
the man who passes through two hours
fight has lived through great amount
of mental and physical labor. At the
end of battle, | have always found
that had perspired so profu>ey as tc
wet through all my thick woolen clothing
and when l had got cool, was as
sore as if / had been beaten with club
When the battle commences the feeling
undergo a change. Reader, did you eve
see your house on fire 4? If so, it wa
then you rushed into danger; it was thel
you went over places, climbed over walls
lifted the heavy loads, which you neve
could have done in your cooler moments
you then have experienced some of the ex
citement of soldier in battle. | slway
knew may danger--that at any momen
l was liable to be killed; yet such wa
my excitement that never fully realized
it. All men are not alike; some are cool
some are perfectly wild or crazy; other
are SO prostrated by fear that they ar
completely unnerved--an awful sinkin!
and relaxation of all their energies take
place, awful to behold; the tremble lik
an aspen, stink into bitches and cover