The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1861-10-10
NO. SS
How a Nan feels under Fire.

: How q man feels when in battle is q
question that our volunteers have doubt
less frequently asked themselves. We
recently stumbled upon volunteer on
furlough. who first smelt powder at Ball
Run. During an hours chat With him
bo gave US very good general idea Of
the way 10 which man feels when under
an eDemys gun. Our friend didn't claim
to be especially courageous. He placed
due value upon the integrity of the A
mericau eagle, but enlisted mainly be-
cause he had no other employ ment at the
time He did csup duty faithfully, and
endured the hardships of long marches
without any special grumbling. That he
dreaded to confront the enemy be freely
admits. While wiling at any time to
kick bigger man than himself under
justifable provocation, he di.liked the
idea of the sudden sensation impaired by
a bayonet thrust in the abdomen. while
only second to this was bis horror of be-
ing cut down with a rife ball like an uu-
sespecting squirrel.
When his regiment was dra1D up in
line be admits his teeth chattered and his
knee pans ratified like pot-closet in
hurricane. Many of his comrades were
similarly affected, and some of them
would bavo lain down had they dared to
do So When the first yoley had been
interchanged, our friend informs us, eve-
ry trace of these feelings passed away
from him. A reaction took place, and
be became almost savage from excite
nent. Balls whi,tled all about him, and
a cannon shot cut in half a compsnion az
his side. Another was struck by some
explosive that spattered the brains over
the clothes of our informant, but, so far
from intimid ating, all these things nerved
up his resolutions. The hitherto quakiDg
civilian in half an hour became veteran.
His record shows that be bayonetted two
Of bis Rebel enemies and discharged
eight rounds of bis piece with as decisive
an aim as though be had selected tur-
key for bis mark. Could the entire line
of an army come at the same time into
collision, he Gays there would be DO run
ming except after hopeless defeat.
Oe Weu WuO pIh1eu Tue runaway dk
Bull Run were men who bad not partici-
pated in the action to any extent, and
who became panic-stricken where, if once
smelling powder in the manner above Ge-
scribed, they would have been abundant
ly victorious. In the roar of mnsBetry
and the laundering discharge of artillery
there is a music that banishes even innate
cowardice. The sight of men struggling
together, the clash of sabres, the tramp
of cavalry. the stained grass of the
battle field, and the coming charge of the
enemy dimly visible through the battle
smoke-alI these, says our intelligent in
formant, dispel every particle of fear, and
the variest coward in the ranks perhaps
becomes the most tiger.like. At the bat
tie of Bull Run the chaplain of one of the
regiments, a man Of small stature and
delicate frame, personally cut down two
six feet greandicrs in single combat If
these things are so-and We incline to
think they are-the, best cure for coward
ice is to crowd man into a fight and
there keep him. The fugitiSes from Bull
Run were men who imbibed panic before
it could have reached them.-Phl. A.
91ericHu