The Portland daily press., 1868-12-25

in strange contrast to the sombre hues Of
those long dreary days stands out one scene
SO startlingiy dramatic il its effect, so Wild IN
its brilliancy, that its recollection seems like
the flights of Oriental fancy. The closing
act of that week of suffering must he forever
prominent as the picture of the war-perhaps
as the picturesque battle piece of the war
Unique in conception, terribly splendid in its
execution,
1.-THE NIGHT BATTLEl "a 4yss
Of January 8, 1858, is scared forever on the
memory of its actors, and destined to an ar
tistic immortality in song and painting.
About dusk our sharpshooters stealfhhy be-
gan to advance, for the purpose of gaining lne
dark line OF dense cedar forest ia 'front.'. IneT
approach instantly caused sudden iumina-
ton of the woods by the rebel rinemen, SUD
ded behind every tree and rock. may men
ton here that when we took this piece OF
timber we found platforms raised behind ma
nv Of tbe large trees for their sharpshooters,
enabling them to extend their range and mis-
lead the aim of our men. To stop this our
| artillery was brought into play, posted in a
huge semi-circle. The couchant lions opened
their throats, and shot and shell fairly rained
on the devoted spot. The earth literally trem-
bled and quivered with the roar of hundred
cannon, and when we lay down it seemed to
beat and throb with the pulse of living crea-
ture. instantaneous with our attack Heav-
ems wild artillery opened on both armies A
furious storm sprang up from the south. The
| winds roared and crashed with the shell
| through the black forest. The rain, stream
ing in torrents, was driven directly in the
| faces of our troops. We who stood only a
few steps in the rear of range of batteries,
| were blackened and almost strangled with the
suffocating clouds of thick moist pc fder
which. were carried into our faces directly
from the muzzles of the guns. BY this time
the action was general. Charges were re-
/ peatedly made on our infantry and batteries,
and at last our divisions were set in motion.
The scene became weird and exciting beyond
conception. The effect oil every movement OF
the contending forces was written in charac-
tiers of deadly light; the movements them
selves were wrapped in thick darkness. Re-
giment after regiment of rebels advanced
noiselessy to the edge of the woods, and all
at once leaping line of flame told their pres
ence and object. The fierce cries of the vic
tors, borne on the angry gusts, told now and
again of some merciless bayonet charge, and
one could almost fancy that he heard, mir
gled with them, the hopeless wall Of the lost
in battle.
/ have read of nothing in history, know
OF nothing in the dream land of romance and
imagination, to equal or approach the infer
nal splendor of those three black and bloody
hours. thought of the demon scenery OF
Dante, of the dark imagery of Milton, of all
the fiends that fought in he'll, until it seemed
as If one could almost feel the real presence
of the Prince of tho Power of the Air riding
triumphant.
For three hours this strange and unearthly
battle ragged. The blackness of darkness was
relieved only by tine deathly flash of musketry
or the volcanic glare of artillery. The cheer
full "forward-charge" of the successful, the
despairing, almost hopeless, "steady, men
steady" of the retreating officers, could be
heard from time to time, and there was some
thing inhuman in the sound. The tide OF
victory was marked only by the advancing OF
retreating sheets Of fame, the red surges Of a
sea of death, or, more dreadful still, by the
relentlessehouts of the yictors and the shrieks
of the trodden.
At last Shrek and shout died out together
and without cheer, the vctors of an un-
known victory lay down upon the silent field
Did Lincoln, ever sympathetic with loyalty
and devotion, speak too strongly, when, tele,
grpahing to Rosecrans, he saidI"God bless
you and all with you. Please tender to all
and accept for yourself, the nations gratitude
for your and their skill, endurance, and
dauntless courage"