Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1880-07-24
A Federal Charge at An!ie
FAM


Antietam, September, 1867 John
Gordon, of Georgia, at the Dun
ker Church, saw sight memora-
bly, 10 him early that forenoon A
regiment of Union infantry march
ed in six columns, one after the
other, at quickstep, directly upon
his grim, experienced lines. The
strangers were new troops un-
scathed by the battle, uovices of
the sufferings of war, perhaps new
er IL their lives under fire, aud
their clothing and accouel lnsnts
were new, as If worn III militia
parades only. White, shining gfi-
ters were over their shoes, a z u
ave iauntiness was in their suits
as cut, their bayonets were bright
AS househofd silver, alpI they adj
vanced without firm. 4 : I'm In all
the interpidity of Sc .ooiDoys bred
on moral histories, Conscious only
OF their good cause and me ami
nation of the chars- Coming
forward they kept step, their col
ors were new from ladies hands,
the band played gloriously, every
officer was in his place; it was
like ideal war on European open
plains, not the war ofrugged coun-
try and r0ug volunteer multi
tudes discovering tactics for them
selves.
Save your fire, men, till they
are close on YOU" said Gordon /;
fresh AS they are, ifthey could
break through US on a charge as
cool as that we should rue it."
The gallant line came on, beau
tiful as woman, intrepid a. child
rem, feeling the music and the hol-
iday. All! ii was to be for most of
them the holiday of eternity. AS
he first column was right up on
the sullen Southern line the com
mand of Gordon came 10 fire into
them, taking aim a terrible
earthquake of.rifles poured forth,
renewed and renewed as if a devil
had arisen and stamped and blew
his breath. The field aud wood
were thick with those young
boys, piled up like cordwood spill,
ed, and another of the doomed
columns was coming undauntedly
on, colors, music and glistening
belts and anklets as before, as if
the persisted column had second
life and was renewed in the tramp
led corn and high, clean oak
groves. What unaffected, uncon-
cious bravery - thought Gorgon,
as he gave the command to hold
fire until it would be deadly. A
gain the demon burst thro lgh the
limestone mold and stamped and
danced, and the grand pageant
went out in smoke, hail-stones
and signs.
ibid you ever see such cool
ness?' exclaimed Gordon, all
black with powder and sweat as
the third and fourth columns Of
the same doomed regiment came
on again, parading above their
dead and every officer in his place
waving his sword for the charge.
Again the woods exploded, the air
was ripped with lead, the pageant
sank into the grave.
The remaining column and its
gatherings wavered now. War
had made its paralyzing impress
sion upon these green natures like
forest fire on blossoms. But there
was one man left, an officer, who
was ceasoned through with cour-
age. Gordon saw him speak
strong words of courage to his
shrinking command, higher in
tone than the howl of the fallen;
ne waved his sword in their faces,
pointed it to the enemy I'd cried:
Advance They would not step;
the ground before them was too
dreadful with dead. He took the
color in his hands and waved it
and ran forward with il. They
hesstated. Then wringing his
hands above his head anu throw
ing down his hat, he adjured them
by duty, manhood and country to
come on. They dared not go.
Massacre had produced its i'm
preston.
"Then," says Gordon. who told
ii seventeen years after, when he
was United States Senator, "that
man whom / had watched all this
while, with my men ready and
hot with battle, walked deIiber-
ately in front of his command,
wholly unsupported, right on to-
ward our line, more than half way
between the two, and folding his
arms looked into our muskets, as
if to say; i came here to die >
For myself, remember no more,
but my men have said to me many
a time that the last words | utter
ed, when / was struck in the face
and fell with five wounds, were:
Don't shoot that man! | never
heard of his fate and have never