Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1863-03-18

Ihe result OF this terrible storm OF
death, the two currents of which inter
sected just at the right line, was fright
full, and for a moment panic seemed
inevitable.
In the confusion, when the different
companies lost their order, and parties of
stragglers began wandering to the rear,
Captain Godfrey drew up his men in po-
sitiOn, and stepped out to the front
"Who will go to glory with me now2"
he asked, pointing to the battery with
his bloody sword. Whoever ism afraid,
come Onl If you won't follow, shall
have to take that battery aloneI"
This magnificent piece of hyperbole
must have been heard to be appreciated.
The whole scene agreed with its tenor.
A field covered with CHASTITY corpses and
wounded men; wreck of arms and equi-
page scattered everywhere; a smoky,
stenching atmosphere, quivering and
pierced by the terribleOyells and cries
of the dying, the awful scream of woun-
ded horses, the terrible conclusion of
heavy cannon necessarily fred, and the
fierce howl of a thousand shot and shell,
a disordered and broken host of men,
trembling on the verge of flight, with
officers galloping hither and thither, cur
sing, praying, threatening and imploring
by turns-this was the exaggerated and
wonderful background to the picture. In
front, amid the wreck and ruin and pools
of gore, and Golgotha piles of dead, a
company of sixty or seventy heroes, with
out coats, often without shirts, without
knapsacks, without a flag, with uniforms
of half dozen patterns, and arms as i'll
assorted; muddy, dusty, bloody, bruised,
blackened, lowering of eyes and defiant
lips, and before them all, the tall, manly
figure of their leader, with his face COW
cred with blood from the bandage cash
on his forehead, his broad chest expos
ed, his sleeves rolled up, and his hands,
arms, legs and feet imbued and clotted
with gore like those of butcher, waving
that crimson blade and roaring forth his
determination, too impossible for threat
and too splendid for boast-that was
the situation.
Without waiting for a murmor of as
sent from his men, this mad creature
cried: Now then Double quick !
Charge p and ran forward at full speed
toward the battery, that opened its dread
iul grinning mouths at intervals, to emit
tongues Of fire and iron that licked up.
men and horses and trees alike. The
scattering regiment saw the charge and
paused Several companies, not yet dis
ordered, got into line and followed, but
Godfrey and his command were already
far in advance.
Flame and fury whirled down in red
sheets of destruction from the battery.
Thick smoke and darkness lurked be-
hind. 1t was an inky cloud, sitting and
heavy, bnt charged with the splendor
and horror of pandemonium The air
gaped and closed with the terrific blows
at every shot, and the ground trembled
and WINGED at the awful detonations.
Light cleaned, glared, and scOrched the
very eye-balls of those who looked, All
was vague and bewildering, with dizzy
noises and roaring as Of million wheels
and voices, and the brain soon got be-
logged and dazed by the awful magnif-
cence of the ascent into the teeth of the
guns that shouted defiance and Ieaped
back like living foes.
Into the centre of this hell went Cap
tain Godfrey, crying as he ran:
81 was called coward yesterday, boysl
what do you think of this ?"
As the devoted remnant of the COM
pany came exactly before the guns,
sudden discharge of grapeshOt roared
along the hill, breast high, and heavy
storm of nrusketry followed. The few
that had accepted the example
of the first, replied by a close voIley, as
they charged, and within a few moments
The hill was covered with a mass Of deter
mined men, pouring up in increasing
numbers, and stretching down to the
wooden ravine beyond, where the enemy
lad already begun to waver. The ice
vas broken; the path was shown by
Captain Godfrey's men, and the regiment
lad followed, unable to stand still and
zee such a deed of daring done.
The battery was withdrawn with mar
7elous speed and address, but the infant
y that had supported it was driven back
n disorder. It was a successful repulse,
md due entirely to the unhinching he
.oism of the little band that led. And |
hat band? I know nothing Of it, save
hat GOdfrey's body was found where the
centre of the battery had been. His
word, still grasped in his hand, was
through an artilleryman's ribs, and a
nusket ball had gone into his own chest
nst over the heart. There were seven