The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1865-10-18
Feelings in Battle.

Dattle. All men are not affected alike.
Some are cool, determined and courage
Gus some lose all Judgment, and will,
single handed, rush upon hundreds 9TH
ers are entirely unnamed, tremble like
aspens, seem dead to every emotion of
honor or feeling of shame, and will slink
into coverts or run from the field. Lord
Forth in the Crimean war Is an instance.
If skirmlshers engage prior to a general
battle, and a desultory fire is kept up for
awhile. one becomes used to it, and. as
the battle warns, it frequently becomes
exciting, and men that trembled at the
first few shots now rush on like heroes.
1 remember well my feelings during the
first battle in which | was engaged. The
night before we received orders to attack
the enemy carly on the morrow. All
was now hustle, hurry and anxiety
Guns were cleaned, ammunition inspect
ed, straps adjusted, canteens filed. KNAPP
sacks liehtcned, letters written. We had
several in our company who had always
boosted OF their bravery and prowcss, men
who had been spelling for fight as
they said. These were now as still as
mice they didn't peep. One of them.
who had taken masters degree in all
kinds Of profanity, now borrowed Bible
sat down and read it for some time, and
intimated 10 his messmate the propriety
OF praying before gong to sleep that
night. 1t is not your clustering, prolana
bravado that is the brave man on the field
Of battle; it is your quiet, patient, retir-
ing man.
| confess feeling of dread AMI ankle
ty stole over me. Battle was certain the
enemy was strongly posted, and we had
desperate work before us. | wanted to
20 into battle; yet | dreaded it like
death. | slept but little that night. The
morning came, and our columns moved
quietly and sternly through wood The
first ntimation we had OF the enemy was
the skirmshng between his outposts and
our vanguard, The former falling back as
the latter advanced. We passed out of
the wood and rapidly deployed into line
OF battle, gentle sloping hill hiding the
enemy from our view. A part of our
force had been sent around to make "a
flank and rear attack on the enemy; and
while so doing, it was of the utmost i'm
portancc that we should hold his atten-
ton in front. We marched steadily up
the bill till the whole line of the enemy
burst upon our view; there we halted,
and for some minutes not gun was fired
on either side. There stood the two ar
mics, each waiting for the other TO be-
gin the work of death. The faces Of our
men looked pale and determined : some
OF them stood like statues. others nervous
and uneasy. 1t was the time to test their
courage. A line of cannon was bearing
directly upon us. Death to many of us
was certain. Who will it be thonght |.
A singular feeling came over me; a con-
fused image of mother and sister APP
peared fitting and floating before my i'm
agination like dissoving shadows, while
the tremendous reality in front oppressed
me with dreadful forebodings.
A few moments passed, like those that
intervene between drawing the cap over
the criminals face and letting fall the
drop, when "a puff of smoke from one of
the cannon, followed by crash, and
bomb went screaming over us. Our men
ducked down their heads like geese. Fire
was now opened on US along the cnemy's
entire line. Their first shots were aimed
too high. They gradually lowered them.
Every discharge brought them fcarfully
nearer. We were impatient to return
the fire, but dare net til the command
was given. Our colonel passed along the
line, and urged us TO stand firm till the
proper time, and the day would be ours
1t is a task to hold men exposed to an
enemy's fire without allowing them TO
return it. They will soon run one way
or another. The enemy's shot now be-
gan to howl around, plow through our
ranks and tear up the earth about our
feet. A six pound ball cut eff the bay
onet Of my messmate on my left mo-
ment more, and one struck him on the
breast, severing him almost in twain
He reeled and fell like log The hot
blood from his heart spirited full in my
face. Great God, how felt A faint,
sickening sensation came ever me, |
stopped down over him. lie smiled
family. spoke my name, gasped, and cx-
pired. lie was tiightfully maneled. |
was maddencd to desperation. All
thought Of fear vanished; could have
fought thousands The command Fire
ran along the line, and Il tremendous
crash OF musketry answered the COM
mand. We now loaded and fired for
life. Dense volumes of sulphurOus smoke
hung like Il pail over lis and shut out the
enemy from our sight The battle grew
warm and bloody. The rattle OF muskct-
ry, the screaming Of shells, the thunder
of artillery, the whistling of bullets, the
shouts Of command, commingled with the
curses prayers and groans OF the wound
ed and dying, filled the AR. Our men,
black with smoke and powder, looked
like fiends incalnate, as they piled their
work Of death. AT length Il breeze rolled
away the smoke that shroudtd us, and
disclosed our other columns bearing down
upon the enemy's flank. Now was the
decisive moment. ''Charge bayonets :"
rang out; and with loud shouts, we rush
ed forward TO the assault A storm ct
grape and canister was hurled against us
as we neared the batteries. Like mad
dened tigers our men leaped forward
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