The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1862-02-26
McGREG0R, IOWA, WEDNESDAY, FEB. 26 1862
Correspondence OF the Louisville Journal.
Experience Of a Volunteers First Hsat-

Correspondence OF the Louisville Journal.
Experience Of a Volunteers First Esat
tie.
CAMP WIcKLIFFE, Ky, Feb. t.
! People often wonder how one feels il
battle. This depends to considerable
extent on the nature of the conflict, th,
kind of troops engaged, :hc weapons en-
ployed, and the duration Of the battle
All men arc not affected alike; some are
cool. determined. and courageous; some los.
all judgment, and will single handed rush
upon hundreds; others are entirely un.
manned-trembe like aspcns-seem dead
to every emotion Of honor or feeling ol
shame, and will sink into coverts or run
from the field. Lord Forth in the Cri,nean
war is an instance. If skirmShers engage
prior to general battle, and dcsultory
firing is kept up for a while, one becomes
used to it, and, as the battle warns, it fire.
1uently becomes exciting, and men that
tremblcd at the first few shots, now rusl,
on like heroes. remember well my feel
'ngs during the first battle in which was
engaged. The night before the battle, we
received orders to prepare to attack the
enemy early on the morrow. All was now
hustle, hurry, and anxiety. Guns were
cleaned, ammunition inspected, straps adj
u 'ted, cantcens filled, knapsacks tighten.
cd, letters written, etc We had several in
our company who had always boasted of
Their bravery aud prowesS men who had
been spelling for fight as they said
These were now as still as nice-they
didn't peep. One Of them who had taken
u aSter's Inr,,.a in ol l.;,~I -
now borrowed bible, sat down and read
1t Tor some time and intimatcd to his mess
mate the proprirty Of repeating their Now
l lay me, etc." before going to sleep that
night. 1t is not Your clustering, profane
bravado that is the brave man on the field
OF battle, it is your quiet, patient, rctirin:
man.
confess felt uncasy-a feeling of
dread and anxiety stole over me. Battl.
was certain, the enemy was strongly post
ed, and "" had desperate work before us.
wanted to 60 into the battle, yet dread
cd it like death. slept but little that
night. The morning came and our col
uinns moved quietly and sternly forward
through wood. The first ntimation we
had OF the enemy was the skirm>hiny be-
tween his outposts and our vanguard, the
former falling back AS the latter advanced
we passed out OF the wood and rapidly de.
ployed into line Of battle, gently slopng
hill hiding the enemy from our view. 4
part OF our force had been sent around to
make flank and rear attack on the enc
Ty, and while SO doing it was of the ut.
most Importance that we should hold his
attention in front. We marched steadily
up the hill till the whole line Of the enemy
burst upon ouv view there we halted and
lor some minutes not gun was fired on
either sid. There stood the two armies.
each silently waiting for the other to h.
S'n the work of death. The faces of our
nen looked pale and determined; some of
them stood like statues-others were ncr.
vo''s and uneasy. 1t was the time to ties,
the courage of men. A line of cannon were
bearing directly upon us. Death to many
OF US was certain. Who will it be though.
l. "A singular feeling came over m.; a
confused image OF mother and sister an.
peared lifting and floating before INV ina
s'hat'en like diSs"lvins shadows, while the
tremendous reality in from, oppressed me
WITH dreadful foreboding. \ few moments
passed like those that intervene between
drawing the cap over the criminals face
and letting fall the drop, when puff OF
smoke from one of the cannon. follow d by
a crash and bomb, went scresruing orcr us.
Our men ducked down their heads lik.
geese. Fire was now opened on us alon.
the enemys entire line. Their first shots
were aimed too high. They gradually low,
cred them. Every discharge brought their
balls tcarfully nearer We were impatient
to return the fire, but darv not till the com
mand was gwen. Our Colonel passed along
IN ir"nt of the line, aud urged us to stand
tl''n TIL the proper time, and the day would
be ours. Ii is Il task to hold men exposed
to an eEemy's fire without allowing them
to return it. They will soon run one way
or the other. The snemy's shot now be
gan t" howl around us, plough through our
ranks and tear up the earth about our feet
A six poun'i ball cut off the bayonet of my
mcsslnatc on my left; a moment more and
one stuck him in the breast scyerinc him
almost in twain. lie reeled and fell lik, a
log. The hot blood from his heart spirited
!uli IN my face. Great God, how felt! A
faint s'ckening sensation came over me. /
stopped down over him. lie smiled faint.
ly, spoke my name, gasped and expired
lie was frlght!Hlly mRnglcd. was mad.
dcned to desperation Al thought of fear
vanished; could have fought thousands.
The command Fire rang along the line,
and tremendous clash of muskctrv an,
>wered the command. We now loaded
and fired for life. Dense volumes of sui
smoke hung like 4 pail over us
aud shut the enemy from our sight. The
battle grew warm and bloody The rattle
Of muSketry, the screaming of shells the
thunder of the artillery, the whiS,lng Of
bullets, the shouts Of command comminsl.
ri with curses, prayers, and groans Of the
wounded and diving filed thu air Our men
black with smoke and powder looked like
tevils incarnate as they piled their work Of
leath. AT length breeze rolled away the
smoke that shroudcd us and disclosed our
''her columns bearing down upon the enc
hy's flank. Now was the decisive moment |
"Chn'ge b'yons's" rang out, and with
oud shouts we rushed forward to the as. |
'a'i!t' 4 storm Of grape and canste, was
,urled against us rs We nearvd the bate
1cs. Like maddendca tigers our men
eaped forward with the cold steel. The
trnsle over the guns was desperate II I
vas tutchrry savage in the extreme.
The cne!hy soon broke and fed, leaving us
masters Of the field. Since that tim. |
lave net felt The least dread or hesitation
N entering battle. After the first few
bots | fire away as cooly as when hunting
quirrelS.
WAEEFuL lIorHn Thee is something
and sublime in the hush of mid
light. The III, Rad Of quiet slcepers, lay
ng down each their life burden, insensihlc