The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-11-19
FEELINGS In BATTLE.

HeODlC OICCu WOultCt INV OAO&ASOio AihDeh'
tie. All men are not affected alike. Som
are cool. determined and courageous; som
lose all Judgment, and will single -hande'
rush upon hundreds; Others are entirel
unnamed, tremble like aspens. seem deat
to every emotion ofhonor or feeling of shame
and will stink into coverts or run from tn
field. Lord Forth, in the Crimean war, L
an instance If skirmishers engage prior t.
q general battle, and desultory fire is KEEP
up for awhile, one becomes used to it, and
as the battle warns, it frequently becomes
exciting, and men that tremble at the hrs
few shots now rush on like heroes. re
member we'll my feeling during the first Dat
tie in which l was engaged. The nlgnt De
fore we received orders to prepare TO ATTACK
the enemy early on the morrow.
All was now hurry, hustle and anxiety
Guns were cleaned, ammunition inspected
straps adjusted, cauteens filled, knapsacks
ightencd and letters written. We had
several men in our company who had always
boosted of their bravery and prowess-men
who had been "spoiling for fight, 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 Is not your buster
ing, protane bravado that is the brave man
on the field of battlc-it is your patient, re-
firing man.
1 confess, feeling of dread and anxiety
stole over me. Battle was certain, the enemy
was strongly posted, and we had desperate
work before US. WANTED to go into battle,
vet 1 dreaded it like death. 1 slept but
little that night. The morning came, and
our columns moved quietly and sternly for
ward through a wood. The first intimation
we had of the enemy was the sklrmishlng
between his outposts and our vanguard, the
former falling back as the latter advanced.
We passed out of the wood and rapidly de-
ployed into line of battle, a general sloplng
hill hiding the enemy from our view. A
part of our force had been sent round to
make a flank and rear attack on the enemy
while so doing it was of the utmost import
ance that we should hold his attention III
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 100 armies, each waiting
for the other to begin the work of death. -
The faces of our men looked pale and de-
termined; some of them looked like statues,
OLuGIS utlSOuS IL was luG tiiIC
to test their courage. A line of cannon was
bearing directly upon Us. Death to many
of US was certain. Who will it be thought
l. A singular feeling came over me, IA con-
fused image of mother and sister appeared
fitting and floating before my Imagination
like dissolving shadows, while the tremcnd-
Gus reality in front oppressed me with
dreadful forebodings
30, IL
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 a crash and a shell
went screaming over us. Our men duckcd
their heads like geese. Fire was now open
eel on us along the enemys entire line
Their first shots We're 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
mel passed along in front of 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 the other
The enemy's shot begin to howl around US.
plough through our ranks, and tear Up the
earth about our feet A six-pound ball cut
Oft the bayonet OF my messmate on my left,
a 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 1
was madGlened to desperation. All thought
of fear vanished; 1 could have fought thous-
ands. The command of Fire" ran along
The llne and tremendous crash of musket-
~ answered the command.
We now loaded and fired for dear life
Dense volumes of sulphurous smoke hung
like pail over US, and shut the enemy from
our sight. The battle grew warm and bloody !
The rattle OF musketry, the screaming of
shells, the thunder of artillery, the whis:ling
Of bullets, the shouts of command, COM
mingled with curses, prayers, and groans of |
The wounded and dying, filled the air. Our
men, black with smoke and power, looked !
Ike tlends incarnate, as they piled their
work OF death. At length breeze rolled |
way the smoke that shrouded us, and dis
closed our other columns bearing down upon
he enemys flank. Now was the decisive
charge bayonets! ~ rang out,
nd with loud shouts we rushed forward to
he assault. A storm of grape and canister
vas hurled against US as we neared the bat
cries. Like maddened tigers our men
capped forward with the cold STEEL The
nemy soon broke and fled, leaving us mas
ers of the field. Since that time 1 have
lot felt the least dread or hesitation on
ntering battle. After the first few shots
fired away as coolly as when hunting
quirrels. Church Union.