New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-03-26

hnllete through the breast-some 1ncescrb-
ablv horrid wounds in the face or 1esd, all
mutilsted, sickening, torn, gouged out
aome in the abdomen-s0me mere ocys-
here is one, bis face az coioriess rs chalk.
living perfectly still, q bullet has perforated
The abdomen-life is ebbing fast; there
is no helm for him. In the camp OF the
wounded are many rebele, badly hurt-they
take their regular turns with the reet, Just
the same as any-the surgeons use them Just
the same Such is fragment, renection
afar off of the bloody scene-whiie over Oil
the clear, large moon comes out a. timee
softly, quietly shining. Such, amid the
woods, that scene of fitting s0uis-amd
the crack and crash Of yelling sounds3the
impslpable perfume OF the wo1osIs AM. yes
the pnngent, sitting smoke-sneo VIII the
radiance of the moon, the round, maternal
queen. looking from heaven at Intervals so
placid the sky 80 heaveDly-the ciear-oo-
scure up there, those buOyant upper oceans
"A few large placid stars beyond, coming
out snd then disappearing-the melancholy.
draperied night above, around. Auo 'nere.
upon the road, the fields, and IN those
woods, that contest-never one more des-
no semidisplay, but fierce and savage
demons fighting there-cOurage anc scorn
of death the rule. exceptions almost none.
What history, again. l say, car ever
o;ve-for who can know-the mad. deter
mined tussle of the armies, in all their sep
arate large and little squads-as tnls-escn
stepped from crown to toe in desperate,
mortal purportss Who know the conflict
hand-to- hand-the many conflicts IN the
moon beamed woods-the writhipg groups
and ecuads-hear through the woods the
cries, the din, the cracking guns and PTS
tols-the distant cannon-the cheers and
calls, and the threats and awful music OF
the oaths-the indescribable mix-the OIL
GERS ORDERS persuasione, eucouragements-
the devils fully reused in human hearts
the strong words: Charge, men, charge!
The fash of the naked sword. and many
flame and smoke. And still the broken,
clear and clouded heaven-and still again
the moonlight pouring silvery soft its
radiant patches over all! Who paint the
scene, the sudden partial panic of the after
noon, at dusk9 Who paint the irrepressible
advance of the Second Division Of the
Third Corps, under Hooker himself, sud
denly ordered up-those rapid fling phan-
toms through tho woods Who show what
moves there in the shade VS., fluid and firm
to save land it did save) the army's name.
perhaps the natiou2 And there the veter. cd
hold the field. brave Berry tails not ye. -
but Death has marked him-soon he falle.l
OF scenes like these, say, who writes,
who ever can write, the story! VI many
score, aye, thousands, North and South, Of
unwrit heroes, unknown beroisms, incred-
ible, impromrtu, first class despera:ions,
who teilsl No history ever. No poem
sings, NO music sounds. those bravest men
of all-those deeds. No formal Generals
report, nor print, nor book in the Ii library,
nor column in the paper, embalms the
bravest, North or South, East or West.
Unnamed, unknown. remain and still re-
main the bravest soldiers. Our manliest-
our boys-our hardy darlings. Iudeed. no
picture gives them. Likely their very
names are lost. Likely the typic ore of
them lstsnding, no doubt, for hundreds,
thousands crawis aside to some bush
clump, OF ferny tuft. on receiving his death
shot-there eheltering little while, soak
ing roots, grass and soil with red blood
the battle advances, retreats, fits from the
ecene, sweeps by-and there, happily with
pair and suffering (yet lese, far less, than
is supposedly the last lethargy winds like q
serpent around him-the eyes glaze IN
death-none recks-perhaps the burial
seuads, in truce, week afterward. search
not the secluded spot-AnG there, a. last,
the bravest soldier crumbles in the soil o.
mother earth. unburied and unknown.