Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1864-09-30
IRAsBURGH. YERMoNT. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8O l86A

awful grandeur and mingled horror OF
that hour struck me dumb. With arms
twined round each other we stood and
watched till a crash startled US. A shell
4 had penetrated the wall and scattered the
bricks and plastering upon the floor near
US, killing a man lying sick upon cot in
a room adjoining.
After this shells frequently struck the
hotel, doing little injury, and the battle
/ grew hotter. Officers had forced US be-
low stairs, where they thrust us into a
room heaped up up with the dead and dy-
ing. This room was in the rear of the
building and opened at the side ola well,
from whence we drew water for the suf-
ferers, and batbed their wounds.
The shouts of men, the roll of drums.
the cries of suffering, and the terrible
rolling of the guns, were mingled all the
while and penetrated our retreat with
awful distinctness. Oar personal fear
had passed away, and we became absorb
ed in things Immediately around US.
It was about the middle Of the after
noon the first day that General Hackle
man fell, mortally wounded, and they
brought him into the parlor of the Tisha-
mingo. Marian was busy with dying
mar, and / went to the General, whom
they laid upon cot.
1 A shot had passed through the neck,
cutting the tongue at its root and render
| ing speech impossible. Lifting his dark
eyes to my face he struggled hard to ~
ter something, and finding that be could
not, closed them in anguish, and large
tears stole from under the lids ard fell
over his sun-browned cheeks. | thought
he wanted to send some message to his
family, and questioned him, trying TO get
answers by signs, but bis agony became
too great, and in short time the soul
went home to the God from whence it
came. On my knees beside the dead
husband, with the roll Of battle in my
ears, kneIt in silent prayer for the wife
aud little ones 10 the far off home in In
diana. / remembered them then, and |
how tenderly and proudly be had spoken
of them TO me before the catastrophe /
came. Aud oh, how keenly / felt the [
of bis confident life lie /
never thought death would find him.
He had always spoken of the future as
bis, and dwelt gIowingly on what be
meant to do /! Alas, how many others
fell that day equally confident and hope
full.
General Oglesby was brought in the
same day badly wounded, but not mortal
it was then thought his wound
was mortal--and many others followed
The hotel was converted into hospital
at once; and when / passed through the
rooms later I found Marian quietly but
engaged in dressing their
wounds.
4 have heard from Harry and your
lusband,' she looked up to say as I came
near, and both are safe. shall expect
hem soon, for it is too dark to fight now.
The forces are being withdrawn for the
hight I
The reader will remember that this
vas on the first day of the battle. On
he second the rebels penetrated to the
Corinth House, a stones throw from the
rishamiugo, and passed upon the bridge
hat is above the railroad near it, The
lour was fearful one, and for time |
many of US thought all was lost. But
,ur troops rallied bravely, went forward
With deafening yells, and forced the reb-
Is back, scattering the dead in heaps
pon the drenched dust.
But on this night our husbands did not
ONE to US. The cry Of Victory! rang :.
trough our ranks, sending thrills Of glad =
rumph to every heart but our rejoic~
ng was tempered with wild and bitter
ain, born of fears that we could no re-
ulse. We could hear nothing of them,
nd concluded that they were either dead 3
r wounded. p
About ten O'Clock at night Marian came
0 me and took my hand. Hers were a
urning, and her face whittier than ever f
nder the burden of her great fear.
L cannot bear this suspense, Kate.- n
Jome let US hunt them. N
Az that moment one of the surgeons of =
n Illinois Regiment came and drew me b
side. .
How will you tell her 2 he asked with a
motion. prince has been found dead, a
nd l fear the shock will kill her. Your :,
usband has not yet been heard Of, but q
hope he has not met tho same fate
'oor Prince Try to soften the blow !,