The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1866-06-28
Anosrson yntelIigenter.
The Battle Field.
A VIVID DESCRIPTION OF ITS HORRORS.

DQttl6. All men are lOG aueSt0" ''''iAe'
Some are cool, determined and coura-
geous; 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 sink
into coverts or run from the field. Lord
Forth, in the Crimean war, is an ninstance.
If skirmishers engage prior to general
battle, and desultory fire is kept up for
q while, one becomes used to it, and as
the.battle warns, it frequently becomes
exciting, and men that tremblo at tho
first few few shots now rush on like he
roes. remember we'll my feelings du-
ring the first battle in which l was en-
gagged. The night before we received
orders to prepare to attack the enemy
early on the morrow.
All was now hurry. hustle and anxiety.
Guns were cleaned, ammunition inspec-
ted, straps adjusted, canteens filled, KNAPP
sackslightened, letters written. We had
several men in our company who had
openly boasted of their bravery and
prowess-men who had been "spoling
for fight" as they said. These were
now still as mice; they didn't peep. One
of them, who had taken q master degree
in all kinds of profanity, now borrowed a
Bible, sat down and read it for some time,
and intimated to his messmates the pro-
priety of praying before going TO sleep
that night. 1t is not your clustering,
profane bravado that is the brave man on
the field of battIe-t is your patient, re-
firing man.
I confess that feeling of dread and
anxiety stole over me. Battle was GER
tain; the enemy was strongly posted, and
we had desperate work before us. l
wanted to go in battle, yet I dreaded it
like death. I slept but little that night.
The morning came, and our columns
moved forward quietly and sternly
through g wood. The first intimation we
had of the enemy was the skirmishing
between his outposts and our vanguard,
the former falling back as the latter ad-
vanced We passed out of the wood and
rapidly dcployed into line of battle, a
gradual sloping hill hiding the enemy
from our view. A part of our force had
been sent round to make flank and rear
attack on the enemy, and while SO doing,
it was 1.-THE utmost Importance that we
should hold his attention in the front. We
marched steadily up the hill till tho whole
line of the enemy burst upon our view;
there we halted, and for some minutes
not a gun was fired on either side.
There stood the two armies7 each wait
ing for the other to begin the work of
death. The faces OF our men looked pale
and determined; some OF them looked
like statues, or nervous and uneasy. 1t
was the time to test their courage. A
line of cannon was bearing upon us.
Death to many of us was certain. Who
will it be? thought I. A singular feeling
came over me, confused image of Il
mother and sister appeared fitting and
floating before my imagination like dis
solving shadows-while the tremendous
reality in front oppressed me with dread
full forebodings.
A few moments passed, like those that
intervene between drawing the cap over
criminals face and letting fall the trap,
when puff of smoke from one Of the
cannon, followed by a crash, and shell
went screaming over us. Fire was now
opened upon US along the entire line.
Their first shots were aimed too high.
Every discharge brought their balls fear
fully nearer. We were impatient to re-
turn the fire, but dared not till tho COM
mand 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 task to hold men exposed
to an enemy's fire and not permit them
to return it. Theywill soon run one way
or the other.
The enemy's shot began to howl around
us, plough through our ranks, and tear
up the earth about our teet. A six pound
bail cut off the bayonct of my messmate
on my left; moment more and one
struck him in the breast, severing him al
most in twain. The hot blood from his
heart spirited full in my face. Great God,
how l felt! A faint, sickening sensation
came over me- lie smiled family, spoke
my name, gasped and expired. He was