The Red Cloud chief., 1880-09-23

.o-5ummer, and the scene
quiet and peaceful that our
eyes would have grown sleepy had we
MOI known that zen minutes more was
to change il into 4 raging bell. In the
woods behind us we could hear the
tramp Of regiments and brigades-in
tins fores; across the peaceful meadow
regiments and brigades Of the enemy
were coming into position One could
have crossed the meadow and scarcely
notice any OF the preparations for the
bloody struggle ready 70 begin.
Now came that dreadful silence which
always falls upon an army just bef IRE
the fame Of destruction Is lighted. II
is this silence that makes men turn pale
and trembls. II il lasts only five min
utes il seems Q whole day. There is no
loud talk-no words OF jest The most
reckless man feels the weight OF that
ominous silence. II the line Is to be
dressed the order is given in o low
voice. and the men step softly. The
horses feel the oppression rs well rs
the men. Some mov u~neasily about.
others stand perfectly quiet. ears point
cd forward and eyes searching the
woods beyond.
Crash Bang! Roarr'
The opening of the battle comes IS
suddenly as a thunder-clap, and there
is a movement OF relief up and down
the lines. The spell is broken in an in
slant. and men and horses are anxious
to move. The songs OF birds are re-
placed by the o a Of guns, the sleepy
haze in the air gives way TO q cloud Of
smoke. and peace stands aghast as the
murderous shells strike in solid lines
and scatter men or fragments of men
over the grass and even among the
limbs of the trees.
We are ready TO move, but we stand
as il on parade. The brigade to the
left swings out and the n TO the right
is slowly hidden by the smoke. Bullets
are singing over heads and throw
ing up the dirt in front. but we are held
there until the curses Of the men be-
come loud and deep.
All of a sudden the o is increased.
The enemy has planted battery on a
hill to our left. and is plunging shot and
shell into the flank Of all the troops on
our right. Down our front sweeps. an
avalanche Of destruction. clearing our
W lines, and SCATTERING others be-
yond.
Now we move and change front to
face the battery. The line in front of
us stalks grimly into the smoke, and
the line behind us makes its presence
known by q steady tramp! tramp!
tramp! One cannot tell whether it is
a single regiment or a whole brigade
moving of to charge the battery, for the
smoke has o drifted down upon us
until the tenth man to the right or left
can barely be counted. We can hear
no order, but the line goes straight
ahead until clear of dip in the meadow,
and then it suddenly springs forward.
Men cheer, but in that awful roar the
voice of a man could not be heard ten
feet away.
Men fall to the right and left. The
line stumbles over cOrpses as it hurries
on. There are flashes in the smoke
cloud, terrible explosions in the air.
and men are stepped on or leaped over
rs they throw up their arms and fall up
on the grass and scream out in agony
of mortal wound. 1t is q nightmare of
death. The rank and file hear no orders,
see no officers, and yet they push on,
the line now dressed as If on parade
again bent like a crawling serpent.
Bayonets are fixed. but we are right
upon the guns before we see our enemy.
No n has an order to give, and no order
could be heard. The line moves ahead
or falls back as if it were controlled by
a lever, and yet no one can see how.
Each man acts for himself. and yet all
act together.
There is a struggle over the guns.
Men are shot and bayOneted as they
ram home the charges. The guns are
discharged upon struggling masses not
ten feet from the muzzles. Now our
lines retreat. Why SO we cannot tell.
A dozen of us are fighting over a field
piece-shooting. stabbing and clubbing
but we fall back and reform. Half of
the guns are silent. but the Others are
pouring grape into us across a space
not threo hundred feet wide. No one
seems to give any orders. but all at
once our lines move forward again
with a cheer. No one ices his right or
left-hand man. For the time each one
is alone. The line bends back-doubles
up-straightens out-surges ahead
falls back-springs forward, and again
we are among the field pieces. Bayo-
nets and sabers clash. Muskets are
dubbed to deal blows after bayonets
are broken. There is a terrible roar
q thick smoke-a constant cheering,
and the horrible nightmare forces a
Sinple man to ATTACK a dozen.
All! what is this? All at nee there
is a lull. Men look around in astonish-
ment. Wounds unfelt five minutes ago
begin to bring groans now. What has
happened? The smoke drifts away and
the explanation is at hand. We have
captured the guns and killed. captured
or routed the regiment of infantry in
support. 1t was a bayonet charge, re-
sisted by bsyonets. and we have o
There are ten acres of meadow covered
with dead and wounded-with KNAPP
sacks, h~aversacks. cauteens, muskets
and swords. and yet it was only one
simple move on the chess-board of the
battlefield. The guns are turned on
the enemy. our lines reformed in rear,
and men ask if it is really so that we
stalked in the shadow of death for half
an hour. 1t seems like q dream; it
might be q dream but for the awful
sights all around us-but for the awful
cries coming up from the wounded as
thirst and pain do their work. Detroit
Free Press.
Living Beyond Our Means.
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