Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1862-04-25

the future, all recollections of the past.
Everything was absorbed in the sangui-
nary present, and external nature as
sumed the hue of blood Men glared
at each other as at wild beasts; and
when she'll burst with fatal effect among
crowd of the advancing foe, and arms,
legs and heads we're torn off, a grim
smile of pleasure lighted up tho smoke
begrimed faces of the transformed beings
who witnessed the catastrophe.
Soldiers were wounded and knew it
not, 50 intense was their excitement, ard
often mortal hurt was announced to the
victim only by the cessation of vitality
Men with knitted brows and flushed
cheeks fought madly over ridges, along
ravines, and up steep ascents, with blood
and perspiration streaming down their
faces Men with shattered fingers chang
ed their muskets to the left hands, and
still fred their pieces as best they could.
I Everywhere was mad excitement, ev-
erywhere was horror Commanders gal
loped wildly to the front of their regi-
ments, and cheered them on, using their
sabers on each and every foe, and urging
their spirited steeds whenever the troops
were falling back, careless of their own
life, as if they had million of souls to
spare.
REoKLEssNEss OF LIFH.
No life was worth farthing; for he
who lifted his musket this moment fell
the next stiffened corpse Yonder a
fresh regiment rushed bravely forward,
and ere they had gone twenty yards, ?
charge of grape sent the foremost bleed,
ing to the earth Whole heaps of corpses
lay upon the murmuring ground, and
fixed eyes stared at the surrounding strife
with the awful stare of death.
PANIC STRICKEN REGIMENTS.
| During Sunday afternoon eleven oil
twelve of the Union regiments, after
fighting bravely for two hours, were
thrown into disorder by number O.
shells which burst above and around
them, and at the same moment rebe
battery opened upon them at distance
of half mile with terrible devastation
They could not endure the murderoui
FIRE. They turned and fed, and severa
of their officers endeayo-ed in vain t.
rally them. They were utterly panic
stricken at first, aud they would have
run if the internal pit had opened before
their hurrying feet. No appeal, no cen
sure, affected them. Many threw away
their arms, and sped as country school
boy who thinks be has seen ghost il
the village church-yard.
A number of flying soldiers recovered
their alarm and their pride, aud return
ed to their posts, fighting more brayely
than before to wipe out the stain; blu
the greater part ran beyond the reach o
the human voice, even crossing the rive
and going to Savannah.
ARRIVAL OF GENERAL BUELL..
As the sun was sinking toward tht
: west, General Buell's column, SO anx
} iously expected, appeared on the opposit,
side of the river, and the enemy redou
bled their efforts to insure our defeat
knowing that on the morrow our numbers
would more than equal their own, anC
/ that they must put the last remnant o.
, strength into the contest. They did so
They summoned large portion of thu
reserve, and fell with unexampled fury
} upon our ranks, shouting like madmen
and striving in every possible way to ex
tend the panic with which the unfortu
nate twelve regiments had been seized
, Every one of their cannon seemed a
, play, every musket performing its natura
Office. The resources Of their generals
were exhausted. They told their troop
the condition of affairs--that this wa
the golden opportunity, that all depend
ed upon winning a victory before the
darkness should compel suspension oil
hostiities.
The rebels swept like an avalanche
upon the loyal troops, and the shock bad
its effect Our soldiers wayered, foi
they were nearly exhausted with the
long, hard fight, and the enemy's fresh
forces gave them the advantage Here
was crisis and General Grant rode
dAOnS VIC u bbOili VI
balls, and encouraged the men, and as.
sured them that if they held out until
the next morning Buell., with his thous-
ands, would have crossed the river. His
brief remarks added courage to many a
faint heart, and strength to many a tired
arm, and our ranks fought with despe-
rate and invincible spirit. Still, they
could hardly cope with the overpowering
force of the rebels, until Col. Webster,
chief Of Gen. Grants staff, planted seye-
raj batteries and brought them to bear
directly upon the enemies right, and,
about the same ;imc, the gunboats Lex
ington and Taylor, 50 near were the
contending armies to the bank, opened a
heavy fire upon the advancing rebels
The foe endeavored heroically TO en-.
dure this terrible double fire, but their
columns had not the fortitude to stand
and be moved down by hundreds. Beau
regard and johnson attempted to hold
them to their position, and they exposed
themselves most recklessly to prevent