The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-10-19
A VOLUNTEER SOLDIER.
His Enthusiasm for Battle, and His
Conduct During and After.
Visions or Glory and Stern Resolve
The Battlefield as Test of En-
durance What He Sees and
Knows of the Fight.
IHpeech by Gen. Thomas Ewing ]

epitome Of life. He PUSHES to arms with TIN
ardor Of youth, Ignorant, but eager and hope
full. His mind filled with visions OF glory
and stern resolve, Ignores the weary march
BY day and watch by night. He sees before
him, Or thinks he sees, q holiday campaign
crowned with victory, and speedy marct
home to the sound Of triumphant music.
| Here, rs In all other pursuits, the future Ia
mercifully yelled from view, and tho imaRl.
nation Ia allowed to paint 1t In Its own ooIors
/ Wereit otherwise, could tho unfedged soldier
feel Il In advance how heavy tho knapsack
would become. and how sore the feet, many
would be 10th to enlist
/ The march In the beginning, even by day,
on good roads. was hard work, but fl The
mud and rain, and In the night, IL was toll
some In the extreme. The want OF sleep. to-
gether with the quite frequent blocking of
the road, threw men into incessaDt "eat
Maps from which they were necessarily
wakened to tmove on" Night, under these
| circumstances heightened out Unfortunately,
| and life toward morning became almost ,1n-
endurable; and when at last day broke It dis
the column, stretched out by the roadside
sound asleep. When these nocturnal move
ments occurred In winter detaohments OF the
sick poured into the hospitals from every
quarter, until they overtlowed. They were
| az disastrous 10 the column as battle The
march too, under O. hot August sun. kent; m
from Its rising to it's setting and often pro
longed into the night amid clouds OF sitting
~ 10 underatond Tho ,,ninIttata,i tbi,,b ~
greatest danger the soldier Is exposed to la on
the battlefield. On the contrary, II is the
least. This popular misrepresentation is
after an aotInn of tho thmisands sbpt down
i, ! a,, h,t M aani ,att 49, SUI. nuWn
and disease that sowlv swall s' into tnns -,
thousands passes bv without notes IN, i', ,v ~
who have nlnaed cur ah,,,ni, ra,,i. ,,a 49, W..
comradea dpnnnad V ont hv ths ,hs w our
II and o,Ir s,,rra,na' reporta attest Il a'o"
Tho hattIafia1d No test ~ .,ndw,,,,o, J.,
oyerrated Tha fatiuua /. nnt avnarianeas
until after the iiuht is over. and com ea ohalv
not from tbe batfle i1seIf b , from sh 't tn
some and broken marnhaa th mt, ,,r ene eo -
II trnna coId ha hrnht Into o'I bat,,e frs y.
and rested. aFtrr a good hrcal,raat VOC ,nigbt
concentrates orr attention an tho hattla Int
III point 81 fact they are not 90 brought On
The aunnty trains hive oYten hoen mn void
ahiv left far III the raar tha ia varsnnhs = -
naarlv emptv and tho ninht laf, a 49, a.e
III nnrt c,,ns,,mnd in gott,ng TIC trn,ns e'i -
place. The eycltemant Of battle aunnI,ea Far
the time the want OF food md res ESQ 80 that
the actual diaeom fort largely nrecedea the
with artillery nc long range and tho burating
OF shell. Ia rather dramatic than dangerous
Cannon ball and Fragments or she'll when
they strike do execution. but they compare
lively seldom hit the mark Thew arc |
chieity effective In disturbing the nerve
OF advancing columns by their sound and
fury and occasionally 9hastly work. The
artillery does TIA real work at closer range. |
with grape and canister; and when tho action |
extends into night the bursting of n shower |
of shells At short range lends to tho scene a |
peculiarly wicked and vindIctive spirit. Tho
first heavy loss in n battle falls upon tho
skirmish line, which, however IL may protect /
itself by Intervening objects, is necessarily
fro at rest. The advance Of the sklrmlshers
u beautiful and brave sight 1t would b
painful TO see them 20 down, had one time at
such d moment to Indulge In sympathettc
Fcelings 1 remember nothing moro touching
than the narrative of a brother officer OF the
sight. a. he beled 1t, of u line Of skirmishers
II the Irish Legion at Mission Ridge. per
FectIy aligned Mt regular intervals with an
officer In rear Of the centre sword In hand
Ill killed. They moved into tho Jaws Of
ay on the field In the cold gray OF that No
rember twilight, o tribute to discipline and
manhood such as the world has seldom seeD
squRIed.
When troona rome to ciose nnartera and
,he battle begins In earnest 40 one can see
much more than which oncI,ra IN hIa imme
Hate front He can hear In the Dn,1sea Of the
lotion before him the roar of the m,,sketry to
lig right and left. rolling far off until If
,eems like distant thunder. broken by neels
Il artillery that alike grow fainter "a thew
-ecetie: Id can see, too, at times, advancing
lnes Of infantry, with barriers ,lnllmbered in
,he rear, hurting overhead 1t the enemy q
empest of shell to disturb and dlstraet him:
he can see the artillery suddenly caasa fire
Imber IN and gallon after their Infantry
AXE n nearer posItIon and in thrice nnlm,
,s r and Thunder awav anain He con see ' tho
nfnntry touch n stone wall. md half and |
,pen fire from the sheltsr. ar If no imnedi.
nent he In the wav no win SEQ them a,veen
n ~ IN charge md close With tho advar, 5
arv Soon howewer the tiuht rannana on
,is own front and he secs no more ~ tho
,attle on his right or left. his faculties are
,hsorhed In the cnmhnt hnrora hina r. na
ear as thew fall. or to convenient sheltor r
pots In the field, where the surgeon awaits !
hem knife In hand. Many disabled men re- ,
eve ~ lhelt uea.h Wouha as tney are carried
" anu where Illey lle petWeen TWO lires ana
aHnoL be promptly reached, often die Tor