The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1867-11-20
prE,,Iycs IN BATTLE.


People often wonder how one feels m pat
tie. All men are not affected alike. ooihe
are cool. determined and courageous; son'e
lose all Judgment, and will slngle-hanaeo
rnsh upon hundreds; Others are entirely
unnamed trcmbie, like sspens, seem desa
TO every emotion I'll honor or feelingof snamS
and will stink into coverts or run from t9e
feld Lord Forth, in the .Crimean war, as
on instance Ifskirmishers engage prior 70
a GENERAL battle. and a desultory fire is kept
mn for awhile, one becomes used to 1t, ana,
"a the battle warns, it frequently becomes
exciting. and men that tremble at the nrse
few shots now rush on like heroes. 1 re-
member we'll my feeling during the first pat
tie in which was engaged. The mgnt De
fore we received orders to prepare TO ATTACK
the enemy early on the morrow.
All was now hurry, hustle and anxiety
cnns we're cleaned. ammunition inspected,
str,ps adjusted, cauteens filled, knapsacks
lightened and letters written. we hao
several men in our company who had always
boosted of their bravery and prowessTmlen
who had been ''spoiling for ahght," as they
said. These were now still as mice; they
didn't peep. One of them, who had taken
a masters degree in all kinds of profanity,
now borrowed Bible, sat down and read 1t
for some time, and intimated to his mess
mate the propriety of praying before going
to sleep that night 1t rs not your buster
mo protane bravado that is the brave man
ON the field of battle--it is your patient, re-
confess, a feeling of dread and anxiety
stole over me. Battle was certain, the enemy
was strongly posted, and we had desperate
work before us. l wanted to go into battle,
vet I dreaded it like death. slept but
little that night. The morning came, and
our columns moved quietly and sternly Tor
ward through wood. The first mtlmation
we had of the enemy was the sklrmishlng
between his outposts and our vanguard, tne
former falling back as the latter advanced.
We passed out Of the wood and rapidly de-
ployed into line of battle, general slipping
hill hiding the enemy from our view. A
mart of our force had been sent round to
make n flank and rear attack on the enemy !;
while so doing it was Of the utmost import
ance that we should hold his attention IN
the '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 gun was fired on either side
There stood the too armies, each waiting
for the otherto begin the work of DEATH
The faces of our men looked pale and de-
termined !; some of them looked 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 Whe will it be9 thought
/. A singular feeling came over me, con-
fused image of mother and sister appeared
fitting and floating before my Imagination
like dissolving shadows, while the tremend-
Gus reality in front oppressed me with
dreadful forebodings fl
A few moments passed, like those that in
tervene between drawing the cap over the
criminals face and letting fall the trap,
when puff of smoke shot out from one of
the cannon, followed by crash, and a shell
went screaming over US. Our men ducked
their heads like geese Fire was now open
ed on us along the enemys entire line
Their first shots were aimed too high. They
gadually lowered Them. Every discharge
brought their balls fearfully nearer. We
were impatient to return the fire, but dare
not till the command was given Our colo
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 enerny's fire without
allowing them to return it. They will soon
run one way or the other. ti
The enemy's shot begin to howl around US,
plough through our ranks, and tear tip the
earth about our feet A six-pound ball cut
off the bayonet of my messmate ON my left
moment more and one struck him in the
breast, severing him almost 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. he
smiled family, spoke my name, gasped, and
expired. He was frightfully mangled.
was maddened to desperation. All thought
of fear vanished; could have fought thous
ands The command of Fire p ran along
the line, and tremendous crash of musket
ry answered the command. E'
We now loaded and fired for dear life
Dense volumes of sulphurous smoke huns
like pail over us, and shut the enemy from
our sight. The battle grew warm and bloody
The rattle of musketry, the screaming O
Shells the thunder of artillery, the whis.lin,
of bullets, the shouts of command, com
mingled with curses. prayers, and groans o
the wounded and dying, filled the air. Gu
men, black with smoke and power, locke,
like fiends inearnate, as they piled thei
work of death. At length a breeze rolle
away the smoke that shrouded us, and dis
closed our other columns bearing down upo
the enemy's flank. Now was the decisiv
moment. "Charge bayonetsm rang ou
and with loud. shouts we rushed forward t
the assault. A storm of grape and caniste
was hurled against us as we neared the bal
teries. Like maddened tigers our me
leaped forward with the cold steel. TIL
enemy soon broke and fed, leaving us mas
tiers of the field. Since that time hay
not felt the least dread or hesitation o
entering battle. After the first few shot
/ fired away as coolly as when huntin!
squirrels Church Union.