Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1862-01-10

FIRST EXPERIENCE IN BATTLE.-A
Federal soldier who was in the battle
of Pikevillo, in Kentucky, writes to his
friends in Cincinnati this graphic de-
scription of his sensations during the
fight:
''And now for my share in the bat
tie. was riding along somewhat
carelessly, when crack !crack! crack
went their rifles, and down fell our men.
Crack crack! crack they came. eff
l jumped from my horse, when along
came the Major and gave me his horse
to hold but I soon hitched them both
to tree down by the river, and sprung
again up the bank, when whiz went a
bullet past my face, about three inches
from it, and made me draw my head
back in hurry, can assure you. l
looked up the hill, but could see no one
for the smoke, which was plenty, as l
lcvelcd in the direction Of the enemy,
and fred-loaded again and fired. l
got my rifle in readiness again. All!
that bali was pretty close. Here comes
another-buzz, buzz-you can hear
their whiz for fully q hundred yards
as they comc--get out of the way.
But where is it to 60 to? Whew! that
was close. But, great God it has
gone through mans shoulder within
a few yards of me! He falls !-some
of his comrades pick him up.
Snow a horseman comes past in a
hurry He is right opposite me- when
wniz ! crack ball strikes his horse
in the foreshoulder. OFF tumbles the
man down falls the horse, stiffened
out and dead. If the bullet had gone
through the animal, it would doubtless
nave strnck me. Here comes a doz-
en- or more. How they whiz as they
60 past! load and fre!' Load
and fire = is the order-and load and
fire tits My notice was especially
drawn to very fine looking man, who
stood close to me, and he truly acted
like a hero-loading and firing just as
il he was on parade, when whiz !! whiz
comes bullet. My God how close.
1t almost stunned me! When looked
towards my soldier, saw his comrades
lifting him up. He was shot through
the breast, and died in less than half
an hour. Oh! the horrors of war
Vengeance on the heads of those who
initiate it!
II directed my attention up the hill:
a little puff of smoke was dying away.
Boys says I to the squad Of his fell
lows, you sec that smoke aim for it, a
rebel is in its rear.' raised my En-
field and glanced through its sights,
when for moment caught sight of a
man through the bushes and smoke
there. Crack went cur guns, ard all
was over.
"We crossed to the place afterward
and found the mans body. He had
four out Of twelve musket balls, and
one Enfield rifle ball-mine, as mine
was the only rifle ball fired They all
went through him either of which
would have killed him mine through
his breast. Think God l had done
my duty for the poor fellow who fell
beside me-"
A HARD SHELL SERMoN.-'HMy
brethren," said q hard smell Baptist,
who was holding forth one Sunday,
"if a mans full of religion you can't
hurt him. There was the three Ara
bian children-thcy pat 'em in fiery
furnace hetted seven times hotter than
it could be net, and it didn't SINCE a
har on their heads: And there was
John the Evangeler-they put him
and where do you think, brethren and
sisters, they put him? Why, they pu,
him into caldronic Of bilin' lie, and
billed him all night, and it didn't faze
his shell. Ana there was Daniel-
they put him into lions den. And
what. my Teller travellers and respected
auditors, do you think he was put lat:
lions den for? Why, for praying
three times day. Don't be alarmed
brethren and sisters don't think any
Of you will ever get into q Ions den ~
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