Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1870-01-14
INDEPENDENCE IOWA. FRIDAY, JANUARY IA. 1870

A singular feeling came over me; con.
fused image of a mother and q sister ap-
peared fitting and floating before my in.
agnation like dissolving shadows, while the
tremendous reality in front oppressed me
with dreadful torebodings.
A few moments passed, like those that
intervene between drawing the cap over the
criminals face and letting fall the drop,
when a puff Of smoke from one Of the can.
non, followed by crash, and a bomb went
screaming over us. Our men ducked down
their beads like geese. Fire was now OPEN
ed on us along the enemy's entire line
Their first shots were aimed too high.
They gradually lowered them. Every dis
charge brought their balls fearfully nearer.
| We were impatient to return the fire, but
dare not till the command was given. Our
Colonel passed along in front Of the line,
and urged rs to stand firm till the proper
tire, and tie day Would tie ours. It is a
task to hold men exposed to an cueu.y's
| fire without allowing them to return it.
They Will soon run one way or the ether.
The enemys shot now began to howl around
us, p!oughing through and through our
ranks and tearing up The earth about our
feet. A six pound ball cut Of the bayo-
ret of my messmate on NY left, q moment
| more and one struck dim in the breast,
seyering him almost in twain lie reeed
aud fell like log. The hot blood from
his heart spurted full in my face. Great
God, how l felt! A faint, sickening SEN
sation came over me. lie smiled faulty.
spoke my name, gasped and expired. He
was frighttully mnngled. was maddened
to desperation. All thoughts of fear van
| ished; | could have fought thousands.
The command "Fire Y rang along the
line, tremel Gous crash of musketry an.
swered the command. We now loaded and
fired for life. Dense volumes Of sulphurous
smoke hung like a pail over US aud shut out
the enemy from our sight. The battle grew
warm and bloody. The rattle Of musketry,
the screaming Of shells, the ihuuders of ar.
tillery, the whistlinG OF bullets, the shouts OF
command mingled with curses, prayers and
groans Of the wounded and dying, fil the
air. Our men, black with smoke and pow.
der, looked like devils incarnate, as they
Piled their work of death. At length q
breeze rolled away the smoke that shroud.
cd Us, and disclosed our other columns bear
ing down on the encmy's flank. Now was
| the decisive moment.
"Cha1ge dayonets," rang out, and with
loud shouts We rushed forward to the as
sault. a storm Of grape and canister W. S
| hurled against rs as We neared the batter
les. Like maddeded tigers our men leaped
forward with the cold steel. The stru gee
over the guns was desperate. It was a
| bu!chery, savage in the extreme. The enc.
my soon br ke and fled, leaving us masters
OF the field. Since that time have rot fell
the least dread or hesitation on entering q
battle. After the first few shots ! freG
away us cooly as when hunting squirrels.
As u general rule our small men are more
| plucky than our larger ones. We have hal
a dozen boys with us, varying in age from
twelve to fifteen years. They are hearty a.
bucks and lively as crickc,s. You canuc
dog them away from the army. Ia hattl.
the great trouble with such youngsters is tC
keep them from rushing ahead too fast
There is a singular fascination attending al
army; men having served one campaign
no matter what have been their hardships
are almost certain TO enlist again.