The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1876-07-13
FATES CHOICE.

morning, drums beating, flags flying,
a farewell. 1t was May, 1861, and we
were going to the s'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 a month later still the roll was
called on the morning of Manassas.-
Foot-sore, hungry, excited and anxious,
the men answered ''aye" and "aye, and
there were ninety-seven responses, max
ing just hundred with the three com
pany officers. Would we fight2 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 rested
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 edge of the blue cloud
of powder smoke floating on the morn
ing air. Only the mems faces were
white and their eyes anxious as they
the ground tremble under the discharge
Of the heavy cannon which were throw
ing shot and shell into the hillside above
US.
Down went 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
smoke cloud, tremhled a Ii lie, 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 oarthwork.
Crash crack roar !! The line wav-
cred, fell back, ,sprang forward again with
O cheer, and we were all there-all but
those dead or wounded. It was like q
wild dream. Forward-retreat--f forward
now at the earthwork, now hurled
back by the sheet of fame, and finally
driven back to stay A thousand men
had been fighting 5000, and there could
be but one result.
The roll was called at Arlington
Heights, and seventy four men respond
from ninety seven
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
of half a century. We had no wounded
ali dead-all lying under the smoke
stained leaves of the dark forest. It was
sad and yet glorious. There would be
thirteen widows in the little hamlet, and
ten sons and brothers would be wept for,
but we had been tried in the balance,
ahd 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 off its
lashings, there wei e but seventy men to
answer roll-call. With muffled drums
and arms reversed we had followed tie
others to their last sleep, and they cared
not whether it was war or peace. The
peninsula campaign was not for us, but
the thunder Of Jackson's cannon as he
swept down on to Manassas a second
time called us out. He was the fail, we
the grain-it was no longer a battle, but
n slaughter. In the gray of morning his
columns came feeling through the woods
and over the fields to find u.s. We heard
him coming. There was q weak brigade
to oppose 10000 confederate muskets,
but if we could hold him one hour more,
help would come. Company G went
cropping through the woods that morn
ing to meet death. There were but
sixty-eight of us then, and it was a poor,
thin skirmish line which crept under tie
trees and frightened away the birds just
singing their morning songs. Wecrouch-
ed down beside fence, and saw heavy
limo of gray come over the hill and half
way acoss the open field, and 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 quiyercd. The line
straightened, and with answering cheer
it came forward-500 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 mus
kets and blood-stained bayonets. Each
rail had its stain of blood each corner
had its burden of dead and wounded.
They hurled us back, and then the great
battle opened all around us.
/ was first sergeant then, and when we
fell back / was in command. Along the
fence, where death hal struck them
down, lay captain, both heutenants, and
thirteen of the rank and file-sixteen
ont of sixty-eight. The fifty two retreat
ed behind the line of battle, joined our
regiment, and again and again before
nightfall we gave Jaekson's veterans