Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1861-10-31
NUMBER "A.
How q Man Feels under Fire.

How man feels when in battle is o
question that our volunteers have doubt
less frequently asked themselves. We
recently stumbled upon volunteer on
furlough, who first smelt powder a. Bull
Run. During an hours chat with him
he gave US very good general idea of
the way in which man feels when under
an enemy's gun. Our friend didn't
claim to be especially courageous. He
placed due value upon the integrity Of
the American eagle, but enlisted mainly
because he had no other employment st
the time. He did camp duty faithfully,
and endured the hardships of long
marches without any special grumbling.
That he dreaded to confront the enemy
he freely admits.
While willing at any tine to kick .
bigger man than himself under justif-
able provocation, he disliked the idea of
the sudden sensation impaired by bayo.
net thrust in the abdomen, while only
second to this was his horror of being
cut down with rifle ball like an unsus-
pecting squirrel. When his regiment
was drawn up in line, he admits his
teeth chartered and his knee pans rat
tied like q pot-closet in q hurricane.
Many of his comrades were similarly
affected, and some of them would have
laid down had they dared to do 80.
When the first volley had been inter-
changed, our friend informs us, every
trace of these feelings passed away from
him. A reaction took place and he be.
came almost savage from excitement.
Balls whistled all about him, and 9
cannon ball but in half companion at
his side. Another was struck by some
explosive that spattered the brains over
the clothes Of our informant, but, 90
far from intimidating, all these things
nerved up his resolution. The hitherto
quaking civilian in half an hour became
a veteran.
His record shows that he bayoneted
two of his rebel enemies and discharged
eight rounds of his piece with as decisive
an aim as though he had selected q tur..
key for his mark. Could the entire line
of an army como at the same time into
ho says there would be no run.
ming except after hopeless defeat.
The men who played the runaway At
Bull Run were men who had not partici-
pated in the action to any extent and
who became panic stricken where, if
once smelling powder in the manner
above described, they would have been
sbundantly victorious. In the roar Of
musketry and the laundering discharge
Of artillery there is music that banishes
even innate cowardice. The sight OF
men struggling together. tho clash Of
'abres. the tramp Of cavalry, the n
stained grass of the battle -fiela-., sof0
-,z.,z.-sss.s - and the
coming charge of the enemy dimly visi.
'Ie through the battle smoke all these.
ays our informant. dispcl every partiol.
+ fear, and the veriest coward in tho
anks perhaps becomes the most tiger
Ike. At the battle of Bull Run the
haplain of ono of the regiments, = man
t small stature and delicate frame, per.
'nally cut down two six feet arenadier,
single combat.
If these things are so-and we incline
think they re-the best cure for COW.
dice is to crowd man into fight and
'ere keep him. The fugltives from Bull
un were men who imbibed panic before
could have reached them. .-Phiad.l.
h. North american.