Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1880-06-02
Lett on the Field.

4
flesh, but wer> you ever left wounded
on the feld-leiso wear away hours Of
daylight amidstgro~s and prayers and
curses-to wear AVA. night which
seemed years long, wrle wounded
horses sighed and groaued a,d dragged |
themselves along-whilc gheuls prowl-i
ed owed the bloodred grass aud wet |
their fingers in warm blood as they
searched the bodies OF the dead and
wounded for plunder?
Forward = came the order.
I looked up and down the line as we
left the cover of the woods, and the
regiment was dressed as if on parade.
We were the battle front of brigade,
and were gong to charge battery half
mile away. No sklrmshers out--no
firing. The battery was belching away
under a cloud of blue smoke, and the
ground was open and clear.
Tramp! tramp! tramp! No laying
no forging ahead. Common time
march march! 1t was smalPs pace.
but we were 70 increase it. The left
of the line was swingIng ahead a little
as the impatient men increased their
steps, when suddenly the enemy dls-
covered our maueuver. There was
lull in the ll.ing for fifteen seconds as
the battery changed front, and then
shell tore through our center and
battered SIX or eight men irto bloody
pulp.
'Double-quick-charge ! and away
we went; each man shutting his teeth
hard as he entered the smoke-cloud,
from under which the red tongues Of
death Ieaped forward to scorch and
winter dozens and scores and hundreds.
A grim veteran at my left raised a
cheer. II was yet on his lips when
grape-shot tore a hole through his
breast and sent him into dry ditch,
dead before he struck the grass. Two
boy brothers ON my right halted for an
instant as the grape and canister
shrieked around them. looked back
and they were gone-dead under the
feet of the second line.
How far 1t was How long it took us
to pass over that quarter OF a mile
Now we see shadows around the guns
now the powder fame burns our faces
how we are cheering and shooting
and using the bayonet. The guns are
ours Men fall to the ground as they
step into pools of bloodstain-eyery
wheel is covered with crimson spots.
Men died before the guns-around them
behind them, We cheer-hip! hip
hui!
Where am 1? The afternoon sky
is overhead-the roar Of battle IS in my
ears-I am lying on my back on the
ground. What does 1t means How
came this? Heavens What burning
blistering, gnawing sensation in my left
leg above the knee. l am lying where
l first went down. The guns were
here, but they are gone now-part ol
them captured-part Of them dragged
away by hand. The tide of battle has
, shifted, and over this meadow the dogs
of war are tearing at each others throats
Is there any one else here lifted
my head. Any one else! Great God
but the field is covered with dead an(
l wounded-wlth men wri;hing and groan
ing--with fragments Of bodies-.-witt
2 pale faced dead-.- with blood.staineC
! dying 4 can touch the dead on either
side. and close behind me plteou.
J voice calls out:
S 'Comrade, for the love Of Heaver
give me drink!'
s 1t was not enough that the meadow
was packed with wars victims. A
d battery changes position, and shot anC
B, shell scream over our heads -~shriel
b murder as they rush past--strike th'
e dead and dying as the guns are depress
ed, threw masses Of bloody pulp
hundred feet ahead.
All 1t IS night. The falling dev
s has brought more than one poor soldier
i back to life and renewed suffering. Th,
E batteries are silent. The nuskcts are
t resting after their deadly work. There
a is sllence..no! From woods and meadow
5 and knoll and valley, from almostevery
b, yard of ground on that long battle'iron
= rise groans and cries and prayers an
G pleadpgs. A general prldss hlmsel
e or n strategic movement--a colone
t will be promoted for bravery--a major
4; is fiattered by the cheers of the livini
n Ia captain is proud that his men stoo
a like stone wall, and the result IS iiv
h thousand dead and wounded and mar
o pled men, ,sfathers, brothers snd sons
e This glory. Scream and shrek, bu
Is some one has won fame. Pray ant
is plead and rave and curse, but the tele
d graph is flashing the news ofa GLORIOUS
is victory over the country. The enem.
y has not retired as yet, but is gettlni
b ready to fall back when the nigh
y grows older.
e Hark! Is some one moving! Yes,
e. is step. Is it some wounded ma
y hobbling away under cover ofdarknes'
g Nearer..-nearer--- some one look
into my face. Iti is the ghoul OF th
=, battlefield. 1.-The hyena who drags hl
.s talons through blood and gaping wound
Or to rob dying mems pockets9
Go away--.I am not dead y L shriel
1o in his face as he bends closer, and h
leans aside to growl and curse an
l search the body Of one whose pale, up
turned face is Just catching the sllve