Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1861-10-15
The Cannon Fever

The celebrated German poet, Cor
THE, was present as a spectator at the
Batlle OF Ealmy, IN 1892, between the
armies of the French Republic, under
DUMouRIEz aud KELLERNAN, and the
allied armies under the Duke of Bru MS
wick, and gives his first impressions of
an artillery haule as fol- VS.:
had heard 50 much of the cannon
fever" that | wanted TO know what
kind Of thing il was. Ennul AMI a
spirit which every kInd Of danger ex-
cites 10 daring. nay. even to ra>hness.
induced me o ride up quite co0.ly to
The oulwock Of La Luue. THIS was
again occupied by our people; bat il
presented The WlIes, aspect. The
ROOFS were shot to pieces, the corn
shocks scattered about, the bodies Of
men mortaily wounded stretched upon
them here and there, and occasionally
spent cannon ball fell and raltled
among the runs Of the tile roofs -
Qlte alone, ani left to myself, [ role
away to the heights on the left, aud
could plainly survey the favorable posi-
ton OF the French; they were stand
ing III the form Of a seini-tircle. in the
greatest quiet and security Keller
man, tIen OF. The left wing, being the
easiest 10 reach.
fell in with good company on the
way, officers Of my acquaintance be-
longing 10 the general staff and The reg
HHeut, were surprised to tiad me here
They wanted 10 take me back again
with them, bur | spoke to them Of par
tcal4r objects had view. anI tney
ii the }vi,l0u, discussion 10 my well.
known singular caprice. l had now
arrived quite IN the region where The
b'lls were playing across me; The
sJu..t+ nf tAeiu IS curious enough. rs it
were co.npo--I Of IN humu.nL Of
tops, the gurg'iug o. water ah1 tae
whi>;!:ug Of BIRDS. Tley W"ra less
dangerous jy reason Of the We,Gess OF
tIe grouut-Wheueyur oue fell il SUCK
Iaet--ani thus my foolish experimental
r.de was secured against HE danger a,
ieas. OF the balls reJouuding la The
N dsl o3 these Circumstances, | was
ALE - remark that something unusual
was taking place wilhIn me. | paid
close attention 10 IL. aud still the seusa-
HOE can ouly lie described bv slmdI-
tide. Il appeared as If you were IN
'He extremely hot place, a I'd at the
same Hne quite penetrated by the heat
oi i, 81 tldt You feel yourself, as II
were, qui,e one with The element ID
winch You are. The eyes lose nolh-
ing Of their strength or cl-aruess, bat
II IS as If the world had il Iilnd Of
browu.red tint, which makes the si,ua-
uon, as well as the surrounding o5-
Jscts more impressive.
| was unable 10 perceive aay agila-
uou Of the blood bat ererylh!ug
seemed rather 10 be swallowed up Ia
the gioN of which speak From this,
then, i Is clear IN what sense lhis con
dllIon can be called a fever. Il Is re-
markabIe, however, that the horrible
uneasy feeling arising from Il IS pro-
duced IN Us solely through the ears
for the cannOu-thuuder, the hoWlIng
and crashing OF the balls Trough the
air is the real cause Of these sensa-
lions.
After had ridden back, and was in
perfect security, remark ed, with sur
PRISE, that the glow was completely eX
ungu.shed, and not the silghtes; fever
Ish agitation was left behind. On The
whole, this condIuou is one Of the least
envIable; as, indeed, among my dear
and noble comrades | found scarcely
one who expressed a really passionate
desire 10 try H.