Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1861-07-10
NO. 46.

guns and then saw the dust Fly some dis
tance lnfront, where the ball struck. ln-
stantiy another, and then another rich curl
OF smoke arose, succeeded by ADJOINING sound
anu the shot came crashing towards us Inc
enemy hred very rapidly. and their oalls :
knocked The dust about Us in all directlons-
some went over our heads others struck the
ground IN front and bouaded away.
Our batteries now went to work. and poured
IN upon them perfect storm of iron Lieut.
Churchill and his men began with their Is
Founders, and when the first was fired, 1t made
sucn loud report that our men gavea spon-
taneous shout, which sceined to inspire US
with renewed confidence could hear every
word the Liutenant said to his men, hen
the first shot was fired, he watched the ball,
saying, loo high, men; try another
too low, men; try agAiu-the third tlaas
is the charm T" The third shot was fred.
and saw with my own eyes the dreadful
effect ofthat and the fol.osing shots That
is it my boysp shouted Churchill, Jump
ing up two feet; "you have them now
keep at that )" and so they did, and every
shot tore complete lanes through the enc
my's lines; but they stood it manfully. The
full chorus of battle now ragged; twenty
three pieces of artillery belched forth their
iron hail a
We were ordered toiie in the grass to
avoid the shot: this puzzled the enemy, and
they corf not bring their guns TO bear upon
US, making on" loss very 5 uall. Many were
the narrow escapes; oae ball came within
six inches ST my left side The force of the
shot Was tremendous 4 horses body was
mere pipe stem. | watched the shot as u
struck the rolts of the gr lss, and it was
tonishing how tie dust flew In abe/
hour the grass caught on fire, and thu
OF smoke shut out the opposing armlA
view. We had not as yet lost q man
our regiment In the obscurity the cnA
changed their lne and the eighteen pourA
ders. supported by our regiment, took a nex-
position on q little rise oS ground As we
moyeioE to the spot, six pound shot car
ried away the loser Jaw of Capt. Page, and
then to,k Oft a mars heal on the right as
Clean as With knife. Ihe blood of poor
Page was the first blood l saw he was
knocked down in the grass, and as he en-
deavored to raise himself, he presented such
CHASTITY spectacle that a siclly fainting
sensation came over me, and the memory oil
that sight shall carry with me to nv dyin,
day. A Little later, Major Ringgold was
mortally wounded at his battery saw him
just after it The shot had torn away por
ton the flesh Of his thighs; its force wa.
nsndous, cutting off both his pistols at til.
LOCKS, and also the withers of his horse
asplendid steed, which was killed to relieve
him OF his misery. The enemy tried hard
but without ayail tchit our eighteen poun-
| ders. The battle continued un i night pu
an end to the scene We bivo.iacked whrr
we We're, and laid on our arms we slept
however, little thinking we might be at
tackled in our sleep
The enemy had been very severely han
diei, owing tc' the superiority Of our artillery
ThaglnnerS went in.o it more like butcher
than military men; each stripped off hi
sleeves an. lIied his snspenders around hi
waist; they wore red funnel shirts, and thel
therefore, were in uniGDrn.. To see then
llmberin5 aad urlimberiag, firing a few
shots, then dashins through the smoke, an,
then to fire again with lishtning-lik rapid
ty, partly hi from view by, dense clouds o
smoke and dust with their dark red shirt
and naked arms, yelling az every shot the,
made, reminded ne Of band of demon
rather than men