Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1861-10-11

AatN3 = ha1o AttAa OnOeN AhNce
How man feels when in battle Is a
question that our volunteers have doubtless
frequently asked themselves. We yester-
day stumbled upon volunteer on firlough
who first smelt powder at Bull Run. Dur
ing an hours chat with him he gave us a
very good general idea OF the way 10 which
n man feels when under an enemy's guus.-
Our friend didn't claim to DO especially
courageous. He placed no value upon tho
integrity oflhe American eagle, but enlisted
mainly because he had no other employ
nent at tho time. He did camp duty faith
fully, aud endured the hardships Of long
marches without any special grumbling.-
That he dreaded to confront the enemy he
freely admits. While willing at any time
TO Kick bigger mau than himself under
jusiifable provocatiou, he dislikcd the idea
Of the sudden sensation impaired by a bnyo-
net thrust in the abdomen, while only sec
oud to this was his horror Of being cut down
with ride ball like an unsuspecting squir-
rel.
When his regiment was drawn up in line
be admits bis teeth chartered and his knee
pans ratified like pot closet in hurricane.
Many Of bis comerads were similarly affect
ed, and some Of them would have lain down
had they dared to do so. When the first
volley had been interchanged, our friend in
forms us every trace Of these feelings had
passed away from him. A reaction took
place, and he became almost savage from
excitement. Balls whistled all about him,
and cannon shot cut in halves a compan-
ion at his side. Another was struck by
some explosive that spattered the brains
over the clothes Of our informant, but SO fal
from intimidating, all these things neivet
up his resolution.
The hitherto quaking civilian in half al
hour becomes veteran. His record show.
that he bayoneted two Of his rebel enemies
and discharged eight rounds of his piece
with as decisive aim as though he bad Sc.
lected a turkey for his mark. Could the
entire line of an army come into collision
he says there would be no running except
after hopeless defeat
The men who played the runaway at
Bull Run were men who had not participa-
ted in the action TO any extent, and who be-
came panic stricken where, if once smelling
powder in the manner above described, they
would have been abundantly Victorious
In the roar of musketry and the laundering
discharge of artilIerey there is a music that
banishes even innate cowardice. The sight
of men struggling together, the clash of
sabers, the tramp Of cavalry, the gore stain
cd grass of the battle field, and the coming
charge Of the enemy, dimly visible through
the battle smoke, all these says our intelli-
gent informant, dispel every partical of fear,
and the yeriest coward in the ranks, per-
haps, becomes the most tiger like. AT the
battle of Bull Run the chaplain of one of
the regiments, a man of small stature and
delicate frame, personally cut down two six
foot grenaders in single combat If these
things are so-and we incline to think they
are so--the best cure for cowardice is to
crowd man into fight and there keep
him. The fugitives from Bull Run were
men who imbided panic before it could have
reached them.