Connecticut western news., 1880-05-26
DYING WITH THE REAR GUARD.
We were going to fall back!


 "The army will fall back to more favorable position,' were the words of the general to the various commanders That meant defeat. Itmeant that our dead and wounded were to be left in the hands of the enemy. It meant that we had been out-generaled and the only hope left was to withdraw and reform in new position. The wagon train had been moving for two hours, and now, within three hours of sundown, our bat tle-ine melted away as regiments and brigades were called in and divisions went marching down the highway. There were pale faces and timorous glances among the old fighters. They had laughed and joked each other on the battle-1ine, but there were no smiles now. Put soldier with his back to the foe if you want to see coward! The heenemy are pressing forward. They are exultant and reckless. There is only the one dusty, crooked highway for hunted and hunter. One charge of cavalry down upon our rear-a dozen screaming shells from battery planted on this hill-will be the signal for such @ panic as only soldiers ever see. Men will throw away everything that impedes fiight-they will frighten each other with looks and words-they will forget their battles, their scars and their, flag and think only of swifter pace. Who will be the rear-guard? There comes an order to settle the question.
 "The General orders the Third to form in rear and fight and fall back fall back and fight. Leave your dead and wounded where they fall. Hold the enemy in check at all hazards. On this depends the salvation of the whole armyp'
 Fight and fall back First fight. Where? Begin right here on the crest of this hill. The enemy is coming up the road at a gallop, cheering and yell ing and determined to ride over us. Steady now! Here we are in battle-line across the highway, with company on each flank along the fences. The road is full of charging cavalry, and with 8 yell they are upon us. It lasts but @ | minute, and as the wind whirls the ! smoke away we see that the road is full 1 of men and horses-some dead as the ! stones under their feet-some writhing in the torture of ghastly wounds. There is 8 cheer as we see the remnant gallop- ing back out of range, but it dies away as we count thirty of our own dead and | wounded. In that one minute Of fierce fighting more than one hundred men went to the dust.
 Fall back? Nol This is our battle line for while yet. The wounded are lifted from the dust and laid upon the turf, and we are yet at the work, serving friend and foe alike, when the enemy comes again. It is cavalry, as before, but while they are massing as best the narrow limits will permit, battery on | the hill behind them shells us as if it meant to leave no one alive. Fence-rails | go fying-dust and dirt are sent higher than the tree tops-trees are cut short off or splintered as if lightning had spent its fury there, but no one moves. Our order was to die on the line.
 "Ready, men! Hold your fire until every bullet will count We can hold 1 this line until dark p
 Here they come! Beyond us is the last of the great wagon train, followed by brigades which are looking back at us as women do at twilight shadows. If they can only break through us {! Not word-not whisper in answer \ to those wild cheers. Not movement in the line until the nearest horses are burned with the wave of flame which rolls out and enwraps horse and rider 1 with 8 crimson robe of death. They press on. Horses leap over the dead or trample upon them. Sabres and bayonets drink blood, and men fight on after they have fallen.
 It is over again, and we have beaten them back. The highway is an awful sight to look upon as the smoke floats sullenly away. There is nolonger a path through the dead The road is packed with the dead and wounded-iterally packed.
 Fall backp Yes. Their infantry has come up and fanking parties are being pushed forward. We leave eighty-siz dead and wounded to their care, and we trail arms and withdraw at double-quick
 One company has been wiped out of ex. istence-one man out of every eight ir our ranks is left to mark our battle-ine
 Fall back and fight. A quarter of ( mile down the road and we form anew
 our Hanks protected by swamps. They are coming after us, rendered more wary
 but at the, same time more desperate ant
 determined. They cannot use cavalry
 here, but they push forward line aftel
 line of infantry, to be checked, broker
 and hurled back by fire more hot ant
 steady than has been seen on the front O
 whole brigade.
 Fall back! They are pushing cavalr,
 and infantry along a by-road to cut Ill
 off. "Leave your dead and wounded ?
 How many this time? We have tough twenty minutes and lost forty-two men Double-quick for half 8 mile and w form in the bend of a road. They can
 not flank us on the right, but the lief and front are open for both cavalry ant infantry. Here is their chance. They
 file to the right and mass in the fields Brigade after brigade wheels into plac' 'l-batteries rush into position, and w J are sullen and silent, while whole division masses for battle against mer,
 handful!
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