The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-05-26
MISCELLANY.
FATE'S CHOICE.
from the GsIaxy.l

1851, and "e-e going to the front.
A month later, " hen the roll was call
ed ua tne heights OF Georgetown, there
. we're only AN even number in Company
q. Death had claimed the three even
before they had enufied wars powder
breath.
And month la-er still the roll was
called on the morning of Manassas.
Foot-sore and hungry, excited, and
anxious, the men answered AYE" and
FAYE" and there were ninety seven re-
spondrd, making just a hundred with
the three company officers. Would We
fight? / saw our captain looking down
the line. There were printers, lawyers,
mechanics. students. farmers, and day
laborers in company G. and not man
knew what grim war was.
Down across the meadow, up along
the edge of the wood. and there we rest
ed and waited until the fight opened
waited half an hour longer than that,
and then the order to move. 1t was
dress parade as we moved by the left
flank, down across the old pasture and
into the edge of the blue cloud of pow
der smoke floating 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
tremble under the discharge Of the
heavy cannon which were throwing shot
and shell into the hillside above us.
Down went a company to the edge of
the forest, spread out like a fan, and the
skirmIshers were hidden by smoke. The
rattle of musketry increased; they had
found targets for their bullets. Standing
in line, we looked down into the smoke
cloud, trembling a little, and then came
the order to go forward. march, march,
and then the smoke hid us, and we
struck the Confederate line Of battle
thrown out in front of an earthwork.
Crash crackl roar! The line wav-
cred, fell back, sprang forward again
with cheer, and we were all there
all bit those dead or wounded. It was
like wild dream. Forward -retrest-
forwarI-now at the earth-work, now
hurried back by the sheet of fame and
family driven back to stay. A thousand
men had been fighting three thousand
and there could be but one result.
The roll was called at Arlington
Heights, and seventy four men respond
ed-seventy four from ninety
twenty-three of the rank and file of
Company G left dead along the little
creek which meanders past banks of
willows, over beds of gravel, and around
gray old trees which have felt the blasts
cf half century. We had no wounded
all dead-all lying under the smoke
stained leaves of the dark forest. 1t was
sad and yet glorious. There would be
thirteen widows in the little hamlet, and
ten sons and brothers wonld be wept
for; hut we had been tried in the bal
ance, and Company G had made the
whole regiment famous.
Winter came and war was chained for
while. When the south wind blew
the frost away and war shook of its
lashings, there we're but seventy men to
answer roll call. With muffled drums
and arms reversed we had followed the
others to their last sleep, and they cared
Peninsula campaign was not for us, but
the thunder of Jackson's cannon as he
swept down on to Manassas a second
time called na out He was the fail, we
the grain-it was no longer battle, but
slaughter. In the gray of morning
his columns came feeling through the
woods and over the fields to find US
We heard him coming. There was a
weak brigade to oppose ten thousand
Confederate muskeis, but if we could
hold him one hour more, help wonld
come. Company G went cropping
through the woods that morning to
meet death. There were but sixty eight
of us then. and it was a poor, thin
skirmish line which crept under the
trees and frightened away the birds jnst
singing their morning songa. We crouch
ed down beside fence, and saw a heavy
line, of gray coming over the hill and
half way across the open field; then
Death took command. We staggered
their line, and as it bent back and
twisted about like huge serpent in his
death struggles, we cheered until the
forest leaves danced and qnivered. The
line Strengthened, and with answering
cheer it came forward-fve hundred
muskets to sixty eight. And yet we
held our own, and let them come. and
men fought hand to hand over the fence
with clubbed muskets and blood stained
bayonets Each rail had its stain O.
blood; each corner had its burden o
death and wounded. They hurled us
back, and then the great battle opened
all around us.
| was first sergeant then, and wher
We fell back was in command. Along
the fence where death had struck them
down. lay captain, both lieu'enants and
thirteen of the rank and file-sixteer
out of sixty eight. The fifty-two re
Treated De nlnO the llne Oh OaltIP, JOINED
our regiment. ard again and again be
fore nightfall We gave Jackson's veteran
shot for shot. 1t was to be, and wheI
night fell the brave 6fty-two were livin,
and unharmed.
After Manassas they filed us up t.
eighty-fve, but somehow we went Oh
counting ffty-two, and felt as if tn
strangers we're intruders. My commits
sion as captain came one day, and tn
two keutenants were men who ha'
bravely won their shoulder straps.
At Sharpsburg we numbered forty
nine-forty mine old veterans, I mean
The other three had been killed on pick
ct. As we deployed to the left of tn
pike, and fled across the fields, l won
dered if the new men would do us cred