Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-07-04
DEPAKTrREs.
From the Springfield Republican.
StorBsing the RedOubf.


A friend of mine, a soldier who died of
fever in Greece, some years since, related to
me one day his experience In battle. His
story interested me so much that took the
first opportunity of writing it down from
memory:
joined my regiment on the evening of
September 4th. / found the Colonel in the
camp, and he received me bluntly enough; but
after reading Gen. BIS letter of recommends
ton, he addressed me kindly, and presented
me to my captain, who had just returned from
reconnaissance. This Captain, whose ac-
quaintance / had hardly had time to make,
was large, dark-complexioned man, with hard
and repulsive features. He had been pri-
vate soldier, and had earned his cross and
epaulettes upon the battlefield. His voice,
which was weak and husky, contrasted
strangely with his giant like figure. was
told that this weakness Of voice was owing to
shot he had received at Jena. Hearing that
! was from the school at Fontainbleau, he said,
with an expressive grimance :-"M My Lieu
tenant died yesterday l understood what
he meant. You will have to take his place,
and you are not fit" A sharp answer came
to my lips, but held my tongue.
The moon came up behind the forti6cations
of Cheverino, (Which were at two cannon
shots from our camp,) looking large and red
as usual at its rising; but this evening it seemed
to me of extraordinary size. For an instant
the redoubt showed back against its brilliant
disk resembling the cone OF volcano at the
moment OF eruption. An old soldier who
stood near by, remarked the color of the
moon. at is very redP said he; "that is a
sign that we shall have hard work to take that
famous redoubt"
have always been superstitous, and the
prediction, at such time, sensibly affected
me. / lay down, but could not sleep
arose, and walked back and forth for some
time, watching the long lines OF light which
blazed on the nights above the village OF
Cheverino When thought the fresh. bra
cling air had sufficiently cooled my blood, ! re-
turned to the fire, wrapped myself in my cloak
and shut my eyes, hoping not TO open them
again till morning. But sleep would not
come to me. Insensibly, my thoughts took a
/ gloomy turn; / remembered that / had not a
single friend among the hundred thousand
men who covered that plain. II / were
/ wounded, should be placed in the hospital
and treated carelessly by unskilled surgeons.
/ All that had ever read or heard of surgical
/ operations came back To my mind; my heart
beat painfully, and involuntarily arranged
/ i'm the fashion of breast-plate the handker-
chief and portfolio which carried in my boz
som. / was very tired but IL | dosed, those
images were continually recurring, and
awoke with n start of terror At length
fatigue ovcrcamc me, and when the reveille
beat, was sleeping soundly. We were drawn
up in line, the rolled was called, and then our
arms were stacked, and everything promised
a quiet day.
About three o'clock an aid-de-camp bearing
orders rode out. The troops were summoned
To arms; and the artillery drawn out on the
plain, while We followed slowly and in twenty
minutes saw the advance guard of the Rus
sans retire within their forti6cation. A body
was stationed on our right, and another on
our left, both at a considerable distance in adj
vance of Us, who opened sharp fire upon the
enemy which was energetically returned, and
soon the iortifications OF Che,erino were los
10 sight beneath thick clouds of smoke. Our
regiment was almost completely sheltered
from the fire of the Russians by rise o.
ground
Their bullets, when they were aimed at rs
which was seldom, for they fired chiefly upor
the artillery companies, passed over our heads
or at most threw upon us earth aud stones
As soon as the order 10 advance was gwen
my Captain turned upon me an inquirinl
; look. which forced me 10 stroke my nascen
moustache with as nonchalcnt an air as coulC
assume. And in fact | was not frightened
the only anxiety | felt was lest | should b,
suspected of fear. The harmless bullets con
! tributed not little to produce my heroi
calmness. Vanity whispered that | was il
great danger being at last under the fire of
battery, and was delighted 10 find myself =
} comfortable, promising myself the pleasure o
relating the capture of Cheverino in tn
drawing-rooms of Madame de- Saint Luxan
: in the Rue dc Provence.
Our Colonel rode along the line and accosi