The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1866-07-04
The Battle Field.-A Vivid
Description of it's Horrors.

qua; some lose al! Judgment, and will,
single banded, rush upon hundreds:
Others are entirely unnamed, rembls
like aspens, seem dead to every emotion
OF honor or feeling Of shame, and will
slink into covsrts or run from the field
Lord Forth, in the Crimean war, is an
instance. II skirmishers engage prior to
n general battle, and a desultory fire is
kept up for a while, one becomes ussd TO
it, aud. as the battle warns, it frequently
becomes exciting, and men that trembIe
at the frst few shots Row rush on like
heroes. l remember we'll my feeling
during the first battle in which was
engaged. The nigh, 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 inspect.
cd, strap, adjusted, santesns filed, KNAPP.
sacks lightensd, letters written. w. had
several men in our company who had
openly boss,sd Of their bravery and
proness-rnen who had been "spoiIing
for 6ght." as they said. These were
now still AS mice; they didn't peep
One OF them. who had taken a master,
degree in all kinds Of profanity, now
borrowed Bible, sa, down and read it
for some time, and iutimated to his mess
mates the" propre,y Of praying before
going 10 sleep that night. I, Is not your
blustsring, profape b.svado that is the
brave nan on the field OF ba,tls-it is
your patient, retirin e man.
| confess that a feeling Of dread and
anxiety stole over me. Battle was Ger
'aiL the snsmy WAS strongly poa,sd,
and We had desperate work before u.s.
l wanted to 20 into battle. W, I dreaded
it like death. Islep, but little ,b a, night,
The morning came, and our columns
moved quistly AMI s,srnly forward through
Piess of woods. The fra, intimation
~e had Of the enemy was the skirmish
ing between his ou,posts and our van.
guard. the former falling back a. the In,
ter advanced. We passed out Of the
woods and rapidly depIoyed into line of
battle, y gradual sloping hill hiding the
enemy from our view. A part o! our
force had been ssnt round to make 4 flank
and rear attack on the enemy, and while
so doing. it WAS Of the utmost Importance
that We should hold his attention in the
front. We marched steadily up the hill
till the whole line Of the enemy bnrs,
upon our view; there We halted. and for
soms minutes not q gun was fred on
either side.
There stood the two armies, each wait
ing for the other to begin the work Of
death. The faces Of our men looked pale
and 'dsterminsd; some of them looked
like statues, Or nervous and uneasy. L,
was the time 10 test ttsir courage. A
line of csnnons wsrs bearing directly upon
us. Death to many Of Us was certain
Who will il bel thought +. A singular
feeling came over me, a confused image
ofa mother and sister appeared fitting
and floating before my Imagination like
dissolving shade Wv the tremendous
reality in front oppressed me with dread.
fol forebodines
A lev moments passed, like those that
intervene between drawing the cap over
the criminals face and ls,ting fall the
trap, whom puff o: smoke shot out from
one Of the csnnons, followed by . crash,
apda shell wen, screaming over US
Our men ducksd their heads like geese.
Fire was now opened upon US along the
susmys entirs line. Their first shots
wsrs aimed too high They gradually
lo~srsd them. Every discharge brought,
their balls fsarfufiy nearer. We were
impatient 20 return the Ere, but dars no,
.ill the command was given. Our Colonel
passed slong in fron, OF TIE line and
urged Us to stand 6rm till the proper
time, and the day would be ours. Il ia
. task 10 bold men exposed to an snemy's
Ere without allowing them to return it,
They will soon run ore way or the
other.
Ths ansrovss sh,,t hs osp IA ho~I ..o,,r1