Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1876-06-05
Fate's Choice.

There were Just one hundred and three
of US as we marched out of the little in
land village that morning, drums beat
ing. flags flying, and men shouting and
women weeping farewell. Itwas 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 G.. Death had claimed the
three even before they had snuffed wars
powder breath.
And month later still the roll was
called on the morning of Manassas.
Footsore, hungry, excited and anxious,
the men answered "aye" and "aye," and
there were ninety-seven responses, max
ing just a hundred with the three com
pany officers. Would we fight? l saw
our captain look down our line. There
were printers, lawyers, mechanics. stu
dents, farmers and day laborers in CON-
pany q, and not man who knew what
grim war was.
Down across the meadows, 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 came the order to move. 1t
was like dress parade, as We moved by
the left flank, down across the old pas
ture, and into the odge 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
tremble under the discharge of the heavy
cannons which were throwing shot and
she'll into the hillside above us.
Down went a company to the edge of
the forest, spread out like 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. trembled u little, and
then came the order to 60 forward
March march and then the smoke hid
US, and we struck the Confederate line
of battle thrown out in front of an earti
work
Crash crack roar the line waver
ed, fell back, sprang forward again will
cheer, and we were all there-all bu
those dead and wounded. 1t was like ;
wild dream. -retreat-forwarC
now to the earthwork, now hurled
back by the sheet of fame, and fnall,
driven back to stay. A thousand mel
had been fighting three thousand, ant
' there could be but one result.
The roll was called at Arlington
Heights, and seventy-fOur men respond
ed-seVenty four from ninety-seven-
twenty-three of the rank and file of Com
pany G left dead along the little cree
which meanders past banks of willow:
over beds of gravel, and around gray Ol
trees which have felt the blasts of haI
a century. We had no wounded-a
dead-all lying under the smoke-staine
leaves of the dark forest. 1t was sac
and yet glorious. There would be thil
teen widows in the little hamlets, an
ten sons and brothers would be wept 70
but we had been tried in the balanC
IS and Company G had made the who
regiment famous.
q Winter came, and war was chaine
for while. When the south wind bic
:" the frost away, and war shook off /
: lashings, there were but seventy men
70 answer roll-eall. With mufled drum
and arms reversed we had followed Il
q others to their last sleep. and they care
he not whether it was war or peace. III
u Peninsular campaign was not for us. b
the thunder of Jaekson's cannon as
swept down upon Manassas secoI
,p time called US out. He was fail, '
:" the grain-it was no longer battle, b
ul slaughter. In the gray of the NOR
ID ing his columns came feeling throu!
IN the woods and over the fields to find l
We heard him coming. There was
weak brigade to oppose ten thousal
or Confederate :muskets, but Ii we cou
he hold him for one hour more. help wou
come. Company G went groping throui
ph the woods that morning to meet deaf
'r, There were but sixty eight of us the
- and it was poor, thin skirmish Ii
that crept under the trees and frighte
rv ed away the birds just singing th'
Or. morning songs. We crouched down
tn side fence. and saw heavy line
ng gray come over the hill and half "
across the open field, and then Dea
~ took command. We staggered their lii
,st and as it bent back and twisted abe
"; like huge serpent in his death STIR
giles, we cheered until the forest lea
te- danced and quivered. The line straig
aG ened, and with quivering cheer it ca
a. nu forward-6ve hundred muskets to six
}" eight. And yet we held our own. a
-. let them come. and men fought hand
vas hand over the fence, with dubbed N
p" kets and blood-stained bayonets. Fl
." rail had its stain of blood each cor
ler r Ii IL ,o,,,,d