Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1862-03-22
How Ono Fesls on going into Blttle.

The following animated sketch OF
The soldiers feelings when about to en-
gage the enemy is from 4 correspond
ent of the Louisville Journal, who has
been there:
The night before battle we rcce ived
orders to attack the enemy early OH the,
morrow. All was now hustle, hurry,
and anxiety. Guns were cleaned, am
munltion Inspected, straps adjusted,
canteenS filled, knapSa"kS lishtened, Ii
letters written, 81. We hal several
III our company who had always boast
ed of their bravery, anil prowess-men
who had been "spoilins for a fight as
they said. These were now as still as
mice-they didn peep.
OIe Of them, who had taken y mas
ter's degree in all kinds of profanity,
now borrowed Bible, sat down and
read it for some time, AMI intimltc'i to
his ntssmate the propricty of repeat
iny their "N,w | lay me-" &c. before
going t. Sleep that night. 1t is not
your clustering. profane bravada that
il the brave man on the field Of battle;
It Is your quiet, patient, retiring man.
confess [ felt uneaSy-a feeling OF
dread anl anxiety stole over me-. Bat
tie wls certain; the enemy was strong
j. p 'stc'l, ant we hal desperate work
before u.s. | wanted ~ 90 into the bat
tie, yet DREADED it like death. I slept
bat little that night. The morning
came, ANA our columns moved quietly
ami Stcrnlv forwar.l through the wood
The tir>t intima,inn We had of the en-
emv was the silirmishing between his
outpn>ts an.t nur vanguard, the former
talllns buck a thu latter alv1ncei.
We passed out of the wool, and rap
illy drplovel into line Of battle, Il
gently sloping hill hiding the enemy
from oar view. A part of our force
had been sent around to make u flank
AMI rear attack on the enemy, ani
while doing so it was of the utmost i'm
portance that we should hold his atten-
ton in front. We marched steadily
np the hill till the whole line of the en-
elnv burst upon our view; there we
halted, and for some minutes not Il gun
WAS tireI on either side There stood
the two armies each whiting for the
other to bcrin the work Of DEATH The
faces Of our men looked pale aud de
ter,nined; some Of them stood like
statues, others were nervous AMI TN
easy. Itswts the tiiao to test the cour-
:, .e Of ulcn. \ line Of cannon were
bearing directly "pan us- Death t"
!n4nE IT ~ waS cratti3..
\Fa, VIA ii be tH"a@l.t I 4 s.a
.nl4r feeling came oyer nle, 4 c"njls>-
e.! INA - ~ mother arl sister appear
ed Il .atinr before my lana ..inatlon like
dl>sn!vins Sht lrS>, while the trc:n ~
d ,us reality i'll front oppressed me with
dreadful torebndlnyS.
\ few moments passed. like those
that intervene between drawing the
cap over the criminals face and letting
tall the drop, whpH a puff of smoke
from one of the cannon, followed by a
crash, aud ! bomb went screaming
ever us. Oar men duckei down their
heads like geese Fire was now open
ell upon Va along the enemv's entire
line. Their first shots were aimed too
high. They gradually lowered them.
Every discharge brought their balls
ftarf,,sy nearer. We were impatient
to return the fire, but dared not till the
command was given. Oar Colonel
passed alon. in front of the line, and
urged us to stand firm till the proper
time, and the day would be ours. 1t
is task to hold men exposed to an
enemv'S fire without allowing them to
zcturn it. They will soon run one WAY
or the other.
The enemv's shot now began to howl
around ia, plow through our ranks and
tear up the earth beneath our feet. 4
,six-pound ball cut off the bavonct of
my mess mate on nv left q moment
more and one struck him in the breast,
sever ing him almost in twain. He reel
ell AMI fell like a .og. The hot blood
from his heart spirited full In my face.
,Grclt Col, how | felt A faint, sick
enia1 sensation came over me-. / stoop-
e,l down over him. H.. smiled family,
spoke my name, gasped and expired
] wax ma'i,lened to desperation.
The command ''Fire" ran along the
line, snl = tremendous crash of musk.
etry answered the command. We now
loaded an tirei for life. u .n<a vol
ume. of snlphurons smoke hung like a
pail over us, AMI shu! the enemy from
our sight. The battle grew warm an,
bloody. The rattle of muskrtry, the
screaming Of shells, the thunder of ar
sillery, the whistling Of bullets, th,
shauts Of command, com,ningled with
curses, prayers and groans Of The
wounded and dying, filed all the air
Our men, black with smoke and pow
der. looked like devils incarnate as the,