Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1864-08-19
LIFE IN TIE TRENCmEs.

q Cd.
A Petersburg correspondent of the Phila.
delphia aP,ess writes as follows = G,~ssns2
Htmbetlt once said that the most exciting
life taat ono cald lead would be to cross
from peak to peak of the Alps on a eqrde
cldStigQe. and Keep up from day to day
That, indeed, would bca dan hgcrcus mode OF
life, hut qiiestion.Nhether it. issnore excit-
Tag than that which is every, day experienced
by our gallant boys in the rifle pits. They
take their position In the Darkness Of the
night, when the keen eye Of the rebel enemy
raise their heads above their works, but. can
not see nor hear anything, sayethe OCCASION.
al sound OF. rifle. Our men peer over the
breastwork, but cannot see a living thing. -
This is the hour for stationing men IN the
trenches. Bath rebels and federals, covered
by tho thck darkness that Scils them, are,
for the moment, comparatively friendly
OF their own wish, but made SO by the inter.
position Of nature. Silently and caut ousN
our men move down to their posit ions, each
one is stationed where the judgment of his
commanding officer sees proper to place him,
and he accordingly at once makes himself nj
home. The hole, perhaps, Is not large enough
to comfortably accommodate him. Taking
Out his cooking utensils, he bcgins with his
spoon to loosen the earth around his body,
and then with his stew pan he shovcls It out
and throws 1t upon the top OF his breast
work, He works for himself a friendly orr
flee to screen hun from any desultory shell
that might wish to disturb bis new home, ,--
This he eXcavatcs at declining angle of for.
ty.ve degrees; when this lis tiaishgd the
officer gives him his orders. and all are com,
lnanded 10 do tbeiI duty. Every one lis I'm
his position, aud now she.is left nl al.pc. i
thick ridge Of earth, running at right angles
to the lrcaStw0rks, fOrkids ii glance at hi,
ne'ghhor, butihe can talk, and be heard with
dtst,nctnesS. he expects a'l,otday, and nc.
cordingly raises above bis head u small sheet
of shelter tent for protection the gray dawn
Of early morning faS given The ENEMY n
"sight,n and tbul'et whistles near his head,
reminding him that he must beware of expo.
sure. Noiking with more cautiousness, he
nrrangcs his shade cover, and is glorying in
his constructive ability, from the exercls6 OF
whiehthe expects some little comfort, when
another bulet, with Terrible precision, cuts
the cord which bound the tent to its stake,
and it falls te.the carih. That was plunge
shot, and he knows that one OF those deadly
sharpShooterS is watching his movements
from the cover of some near tree. To more
fully impress his mind Eof this s,lppositb,n,
be raises his cap gently above the work in
G second Of time bullet from the same di-
rcction' striking it, sends it spinning on It's
axis Day has now been rshered in, and II
behooves him to beware of his situation, and
not expose himself to the ,nnerring aim O!
the .enemy's rifle. The sun ponrs down with
the most steady heat. Stillhe cannot move;
he must lie wntchinsh his opportunity, as best
he can, to lessen the number of his countryls
foes. Soon he summons up his courage,
which the sun ,riore than the enemy, had
well nigh driven from him, and he creeps to-
ward the opening of his rifle pin. Then
ru,n"s an event which, in one case at least
actually occurred. lie spies a rebtl eantions
" pushing hrs way.~h oln tree 10 tree his
movcmenis betray his purpose. which is to
ascend tall pine that commands mcasur,
ed view Of our lines. He gains the tree and
upon the opposite side proceeds cautiously
to raise himself just as he reaches a cross
houghsof the pine, md Is about to moyo out
upon it,,thc. Union, boy secs his exposure
and his only opportunity to take advantage
pulls his trigger, aud the ganrtt rebel fslh
headiong arom that limb, dead upon the
ground below. And there lies that body run.
I'll the SHADES Of night s,ge opportunity for
its removal Toward that poini at dusk are
aimed score Of iifes,, and at difftrcn, hours
throughout the night volleyS are fired in tina,
objection. PERHAPS the mornlng light will
reveal the bodies OF Il score of rebels who
had attempted to 'bring i'm. the form oI
their departed comrade. So go the days, 50
the nights, Of those in the trenches !; a hfo
,ull Of danger and crowded with incidents.