St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1876-05-05
Fate's Choice.

There were Just one hundred and
three of us as we marched out OF the lit
tie inland village that morning, drums
beating, flags flying, and men shouting
and women wcepinga il farewell. 1t was
May. 1861, and we were going to the
front"
A month later, when the roll was
called on the heights of Georgetown.
there were only an even hundred in
Company q. Death had claimed the
three even before they had snutfed wars
powder breath.
And ii month later still the roll was
called on the morning of Manassas.
FOotsore, hungry, excited and anxious,
the men answered AVE" and ave"
and there were ninety seven responses,
making just il hundred with the three
company officers. Would we fight? |
SAW our captain look down ouI line
There were printers. s.lawNcrs. mechanics.
students, farmers and day laborcls in
Company q, and not Il man who knew
what grim war was.
Down across the meadow. up along
the edge of the wood, and there we
rested and waited until the fight open
ed waited half an hour longer than
! that, and then came the order to move
1t was like Il dress parade. us We moved
10y the left flank, down acIoss the old
pasture, and into the edge of the blue
cloud of poWder-smoke on the morning
air. Only the mems faces were white
and their eyes anxious as they caught
| the roar of small arms and felt the
ground tIemble under the discharge of
the heavy cannon which weIe throwing
shot and shell into the hillside above us.
Down went Il company to the edge OF
! the forest, spread ont like IL fan. and
| the skirmishcrs we've hidden 10y smoke.
The rattle of mlISketry Increased they
! had found targets for their bullets.
| Standing in line. We looked down into
the Smoke-cloud. tIcmblcd IL little. and
then came the order to go foI ward
| March march and then the smoke hid
us. and we struck the Confederate line
of battle thrown out III font of an earth
work.
| Crash crack roar , the line waveIed.
fell back, sprang forward again with IA
cheer, and We were all there all but
those dead and wounded. 1t was like
Il wild dream. Forward retreat for
ward at the earthwork. now hurl-
ally driven back to stay. a thousand
men had been fighting three thousand.
and there could he but one result.
The roll was called at Arlington
Heights. and seventy four men respond
ed -sevcntyfour from ninety -sevcm-
! twenty-three of the rank and file of
Company G. left dead along the little
creek which meandcrs past banks of
| L a
gray old trees which have felt the blasts
If halfa century. We had no wounded
all dead-all lying under the smoke
stained leaves Of the dark forest. 1t
WAS sad, and vet glorious. There would
he thirteen widows in the little hamlets.
and ten sons and brothers would he
wept for. but we had been tried in the
balance and Company had made the
whole regiment famous.
Winter came, and war was chained
for a while. When the south wind blew
the frost away, and war shook off its
lashings, there were but seventy mel
to answer roll-call. With mutfied drums
and arms reversed we had followed the
others to their last sleep, and they car
ed not whether it was war or peace.
| The Peninsular campaign was not for
us. but the thunder of Jackson'S cannon
as he swept down upon MANASSAS Il
second time called us out. He was Il
fail, we the grain-it was no longer Il
battle, but Il slaughter. In the gray of
morning his columns came feeling tlro'
| the woods and over the fields To find us.
| We heard him coming. There was II
weak brigade to oppose ten thousasd
| Confederate musketS, but if we could
| hold him for one hour more, help would
come. Company & went cropping through
the woods that morning TO meet death.
| There were but siXty-eight of lis then,
and it was Il poor, thin skirmish line
that crept under the trees and fright
ened away the birds just singing their
morning songs. We crouched down
beside "A fence, and SAW il heavy line of
orav come over the the hill and half
way across the open field, and then
Death took command. We staggered
their line, and as it bent back and
twisted about like Il huge serpent in
his death struggles, we cheered until
the forest leaves danced and quiNered.
The line straightened, and with quiver-
inc cheer it came forward-tiVe hun
dred muskets to siXty-eight. And yet
we held our own, and let them come,
and men fought hand-to-hand over the
fence. with dubbed muskets and blood
stained bayonets. Each rail had its
stain of blood each corner had its bur
den of dead and wounded. They hurled
lis back. and then the great battle open
ed all around us.
was first sergeant then, and when
we fell back was in command. Along
the fence, where death had struck them
down, lay captain, both lieuterants'
and thirteen of the rank and hle-slN-
teen ont of sixty-eight. The tifty-twc
retreated behind the line OF battle
Joined our regiment, and again ana
anain hefnre nighttall. we gave JACK