The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1874-02-19

huu tne biSuht VI Oebuly strlIe nuCl
been given from the cannon's mouth
Then came the united roar Of more
then twenty batteries oil along the
line, TO which our batteries. gave the
answering roar, aud in an instant the
missiles Of death had passed from
foe to foe, and the terrible battle had
begun.
Five, ten, fifteen minutes passed
with the ground fairly trembling un-
der the roar of cannon, and still there
was nothing for me to do but sit on
my horse, look down upon q cloud ol
smoke, listen to the sounds OF strife
and calculate the chances Of being
suddenly hurled into eternity with
every breath I drew. At first the
balls went wide Of the position 1 oc-
cupied, and men fell al distance
but gradually the strife drew nearer
and still nearer, till at length the
balls began to sing around us, and
the heavy smoke rolled up TO enve-
lope us in its sulph,Rous 70 ds
Now the roar Of cannon, the rattle OF
musketry, tho shouts, shrieks and
groans Of the combataAts, made q
horrid din in the ears Of one who,
with nothing to do, wished himself a
thousand miles away from that place.
Why were we kept idle, to be shot at
like so many dumb targets 7 Oc-
casionally, as the smoke lifted,
could see cavalry charging and in.
fantry advancing and firing, and
envied those who, while doomed to
face the danger, had some action for
the body as well as the mind. II we
must remain in that horrible local. ty
land / confess I thought seriously OF
the chances of running away,) in the
name of fortune lot us have action of
some kind.
"well, Palmer, what do you think
Of this :" / said turning to the IN an
on my left.
His lips opened for reply, but
none ever came. A cannon ball pass
ed through his breast, and he fell
over against me, his lifeblood stain.
ing my garments. | uttered an in
voluntary cry Of horror, and clung to
my saddle with everything swim
ming around mo.
While thus l sat, sick, faint and
dizzy, / have dim recollection of
seeing an officer dash up to the com
mander of our troop, and dim con.
seriousness that he said something in
loud, hurried tone. And l remem.
Der hearing the cords:
1--WE must tako yonder battery.
Let every man do his duty. For
ward ! charge |"
The bugle sounded, and somehow
I found my horse in motion, with my
comrades riding beside me. On We
went, faster, and faster, aud through
smoke and fame, amid o confused
roar of firearms aud human voices,
till down went my horse. pitching
me clean over his head into the arms
Of a man, who grappled me by the
throat, and sprineipg back struck at
me with q sabre Instioctively |
parried the blow, and then somehow
getting the impression that If ! did
not kill him he would kill me, I cut
him down. Then there was rush
aud q whire around me that did
not understand, and somebody else
seemed trying 20 take my lte. or
course IL was my duty to defend my
self as well as could, aud I remem-
Der striking out with my sabre right
aud left, though with what effect !
really did not know.
However in something like min.
ute or so, I found myself standing oil
alone, just 10 front OF q large cannon
with several persons lighting near me
some mounted aud somo on foot. One
of the mounted men looked like my
captain. and with vague idea that
l ought 10 assist him, ! was moving
toward him, when q sudden blow
on the head sent mo reeling against
the cannon, and fell down undor II.
Though partially stunned, l was
not deprived of my sonses. and /
might easily have got mp and contin-
ued the fight, but it occurred to me
that / was safer whore | was that Y
bad q rather providential escape, and
SO ! concluded to lie there for awhile,
more especially as I believed could
meet my malicious charge Of coward
ice with the bold assertion that my
wound had fer the time deprived mo
Of consciousness.
10 minute or two the gun was
surrounded by my comrades, aud then
nine hearty cheers rent the air.
"Bravely done. my gallant fellows"
said tho voice Of our commander, "the
battery is ours, but. alas, with the
loss Of some Of the noblest spirits that
ever went into battle. Les them be
taken up and carried back some OF
them may yet DO saved. Poor Brao-
don, l shall never forget him; the
first upon the enemy, he fought with
a valor seldom equaled. With his
horse shot from uoder him, he eu.
gagged in O hand-to-hand encounter,
aud slew three desperate fellows be-
lore he was overpowered. Ah !! my
heart swslls with pride q. the thought
that J command such men ! Let the
memory Of the dead be honored."
Was be 10 earnest, or jest! sax
iously listened for the laugh, but none
came. Could II he possible that he
had mistaken me for heroine, who
,aA hlnndaraA ahsoush al had]