The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1866-02-07
Feeling in Battle.


People often wonder how one feels 10
battle. All men are not affected alike.
Some arc cool, determined and coura.
geous some lose all judgment, and will,
single handed, rush upon hundreds;
others are entirely unnamed, tremble
like uspens, seem deai to every emotion
of honor or feeling Of shame, and will
slink into eoverts or run from the field.
Lord Forth in the Crimeau war is an
INSTANCE. IF Skirmishcrs engage prior
to general battle, and desul;ory fire
is kept up for awhile, one becomes used
to it, and, US the battle warns, it fire..
qucntly becomes exciting, and nea that
trcmbled at the first few shots now rush
on like heroes. | remember well my
feelings in the frat battle in which / was
engaged. The night before VIC received
orders to attack the enemy early on the
morning. All was now hustle, hurry
aud anxiety. Guns were cleaned, am-
munition Inspected, straps adjusted, can
teens filled, knapsacks llghtcned, letters
written. We had several in our com.
pany who always Joastcd Of their bravery
and proves, men who had been "spoil.
ing for u fight as they said. These
were now still as mice they didn't peep.
One Of them, who had taken u masters 5
degree in all kinds Of proximity, now
borrowed Bible, sat down aud read it
for some time, and intimated to his mess
mate the propric,y Of praying before 60
ing to sleep that night. 1t is not your
clustering, profape bravudo that is your
brave man on the field Of battle it is
your quiet, patient, retiring man.
confess a feeling Of dread anxiety
stole over me. Battle was certain, the
enemy was strongly posted, aud we had
desperate work before US. l wanted to
70 into battle; yet l dreaded it like
death. l slept but litue that night.
The morning came, and our columns
moved quietly mud stcrnly through u
wood. The first intimation we had Of
tho enemy was the skirmishing between
his outposts and our vanguard, tho for
mer falling back as the latter advanced.
We passed out Of the wood and rapidly
dcployed into line Of battle, gentle
slopiag hill hiding the enemy from our
view. y part Of our force had been
sent around to make flank and rear
attack on the enemy; and, while so do.
ing, it was Of the utmost importance that
wo should hold his attention in front.
We marched steadily up the hill till the
whole line Of the enemy burst upon our
view :. there We halted, and for some
minutes not a gun was fred on either
side. There stood tho two armies, each
waiting for tho other to begin tho work
OF death. The laces Of our men looked
pale and determined; some Of them
stood like statues, others nervous and
uneasy. l: was the time to test their
courage. 4 line Of cannon was bearing
directly upon US. Death TO many Of us
was certa;n. Who will it be ? thought |.
a singular feeling came over nc; a con.
fused image Of mother and sister ap.
pcared fitting aud floating before my
imagination like dissolvinS shadows,
while tho tremendous reality in front
oppressed me with dreadful forebodings.
4 few moments passed, like that inter.
yeriug between drawing the cap over
the criminals face and letting full the
drop, when a puff Of smoke shot out OF
the cannon, followed By crash, aud a
bomb went screaming over us. Our
men ducked down their heads like
geese. FIRE was ow opened on us along
the onemy'S entire line. Their frss
shots were aimed 100 high. They grad.
uully lowered them Every discharge
brought ,h9m learfully nearer. We
we're impatient to return the fire, but
dare not till tho command was given.
Our Colonel passed along in front Of the
line, and urged US to stand firm till
the proper tune, and the day would Ls
ours. 1t is task to hold men exposed
to an cucmy's fire withou: allowing them
10 return it. They will soon run ono
way or the other. The cncmys shot
now began to howl around us, pIow into
our ranks, and tear up the earth about
our feet. 4 six pound shell cut of the
bayonet OF my ,nessmate on ny left
moment more, and one struck him in
the breast, severiug him almost in twain.
Hc reeIed and foil like log. The hot
blood from his heart spirited full in my
face. Grcst God, how felt! \ faint,
sickeuins scnsasiou came over me. |
stooped down over bin. lilo smiled
family, spoke my name, gasped, and ex'
pircd. lie was frigh,lully mansied. /
was was maddtned TO desperation. All
thought Of tear vanished {: could have,
fought thousands. The command fire !!
ran along the. line, and tremendous
crash Of lnusketry answered the com.
mond. No now loaded and fred fox
life. Dense volumes Of sulpburous
smoke huog likc.a pail over US and shut
out the :eOemy from! our sight. The
battle grew warm and bloody. The rat.
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