The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1863-12-16

| then. There was pistol in his hand but
before he had time to discharge it, cut
at him with my sword, and as the line
swept on like gathering wave, saw him
stagger under the blow. throw up his
arms, and go down with the press, Bitter
| ly as l hated him, the ghastiy face haunt
ed me the long day through. aas
q Y ou all remember how it was at Fred
erick sburg-how we crossed the river at
the wrong point, and under the raking
fire Of the enemy, were so disasterously
repulsed 1t was sad mistake and fatal
to many brave heart a6 fsr,E
When night fell, lay upon the field
among the dead aid wounded. | was
comparatively helpless. A ball had shiv-
cred my right knee, and my shoulder was
laid open with saber cut. The latter
bled profusely; but by dint of knotting
my handkerchief tightly around 1t, L man
aged to stauneh it in measure. For my
knee could do nothing. Consciousness
did not forsake me. aid the pain was in-
tense; but from the means and walls OF
the men about me, l Judged that others
had Jared worse. than l. Poor fellow!
there Was many a mothers darling suffer
ing there Many of my comrades, lads
OF eig ghteen or twenty, who had never seen
u nj sht from home until they Joined the
army, spoiled pets of fortune, manly
enough at heart, but children in years
and constitution, who had been used to
have every little ache aud scratch commas
stoned with an almost eXtravgant sympa-
i Ithy-there they lay, crippled and gashed
and bleeding, crushed aud dying, huddied
tosether-some where tney had fallen,
some where they had crawled upon their
hands and kuees-and never a woman 5
touch to bind up their wounds, or wUm-
an voice to whisper consolauon., 1t was
pltchy dark, and cold miserable ram
was falling upon ,us, the very heavens
weeping over our mlserles. Then through
darkness and drizzling rain, through the
groans and prayers of the men fallen
around me l heard d familiar voice cloes
to my side;
=. 'Waterl water! wa,erl 7 am dying with
thirst--.it it be but a swallow, WaLei.7 4 OF
God's sake give me water! ..isf ,s,.5 3.
|, recolleG. with dlsm y. 1t was the
voice of my ,euemy-the voice OF Richard
Withers- They were once very dear to
me, those mellow tones; once the must
p1easaut music | cared to hear. Do you
think they SO softensd me now? You
are mistaken. am candIt aboutit My
blood boiled in my VEINS when Il heard,
when fknew that he lay SO near tu me,
and WBs powerless to Withdraw from
his detested heighborhood. There was
wateI In my canteen. l had fllad 1t
before the last baIl came. by STRETCHING
my hand 1 coyld grve him a drink, bsrr
| L did not raise Il finger. Vengeance Was
sweet, 1 smiled grimiy to myself, and
said down III my secret heart;
Ig.-'Nota drop shall Cross his lips though
he perish. L snail have my revenge.
4 DO you recoil with horror? Lister
} how mercilul God was to me.
ya There Was a. poor, little drummer OF
the other side, a merry, manly poy o
4 twelve or thirteen, the pet and play thing
/ "a the regiment. There Was something
I OF the German in him. He was reckone,
! rome of the best .drummers in the army
But we would never march to the tap .
Charlie drum again. He had got bal
) in nis lungs: anu the exposure and la
i. tiyue, together with the wound had mad
him ligAL- headed. Poor child! he crep
+, close To NE III the darkness and laid hi
4 cheek on my breast. May be he though
Il thai It was mis- own pillow at home; ma
: he houghtit-poor darllng- inother
! fbosoal. God only knows what hethousll
but with his hot arm about my neck, an
! ihis curly head pressed close 10 my wicke
q heart. even then swelling with hatred {
/ my enemy, he began to murmer III h
n deieriunl: A'' id''i
! Our father who art in heaven. ,..i
4 | was rough, bearded man. L ha
= been an orphan for many years, but n'
e too many or too long toforget the slmpi'
/ hearted prayer OF my childhood--the di
u lyision ,t that mothers face, over whlc
. the grass had grown for twenty enangir
! yltsummers. Something tender stirred wit
- in my hardened heart 1t was too dai
! to see the little face, but the young IN
o. went ON brokenlyaEsz Ess &ss9szt.sg
" Aud forgive US, our tresspasses, as
= forgive those who tresspass against US.
u 81 IL went through me ike a kniie--shar
4 er than the saber cut, keener than Z
q t,allgn- q od was mercIlul to me, and I'll
r. young child Was the channel Df his me l1
y q,
Mt ~ Forgive US our tresspasses as We ft fbt
in give those whofrespass, against Us, f., !,
yn'b3 | had never understood the words {
j IforemoIfsan angel had spoken it cou
he SCARCELY have been more Of a NeE revelatl' III
st For the FIRST time, the thought That that
en- mi ixhts be mortally. wounded that dea
II miyhtfbe nearer than | dreamed--stru
80 me. with awe aud horror. The text 0
r. Long forgotten sermon was in my ears:
,iIl 1t is appointed for all men to die; a
ep en- after death the judgement. aea
en I, Worse and worse. What measure
nd mearey. could | expect if the same W
- meted out to me that | sad lneted OUT
H. EnIy enemy. The tears wefied INTO
IN feyes & triekled down my checks, the
rilll that 1 had shed since my boyhood IL
~ fsubdued and strangely moved. =
The rain wasAtill falling but the h
he head upon my breast was gone He or
md away silently into the darkness 2
lne unconscious mission was done. Hewo
nld mot return at my call. :
u vas Then lifted myself with great eff
w,l III