The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1881-06-03
How the Advance Guard Went into
the Fight.


the Fight.
ALI night long we toiled on our weary
march, and just in the gray dawn of the
morning we halted in the mouth of the
valley for rest and breakfast.
Scarcely had the fires been lighted
when courier in hot haste dashed up
to the brigade commander-a hurried
message, quick, sharp word of COM
mand, the long roll (which no soldier
ever heard without thrilD breaks on
the morning air. No more thought of
rest or breakfast now; we've sterner
work before us.
Two miles on the double quick brings
us to a road crossing ours alright angles.
A movement by the right flank, and our
two thousand men move out into the
dense forest, toward-what?
Half mile Is passed; silence. Three
quarters we advance; nothing. Nearly
mile have we Left the road behind us.
and no sign of life, save the birds twit-
tering in the treetops overhead, or an
occasional squirrel startling us by his
sudden chatter of alarm.
Suddenly the sharp crack of a rifle in
front, followed by another and another,
tells us the foe is before as. A moment
later the skirnishers fall back on the
main body, and just beyond the CLEAN
of steel in the hands of the enemy that
we've seen so often.
We've met them before; we've driven
them like chaff before the wind score
of times. No fear of the result. Their
wild cheer is answered by a ringing
shout of defiance; the first rays of the
morning sun fash from the long line of
leveled rifles; one volley, and our line
springs forward to meet theirs, which
waits not for the shock but breaks in dis
order.
"Well done, boys" says our General.
Again we advance, but not far. Down
on our little band, swift, resistless, pour
the heavy masses of the enemy, bearing
us back by sheer weight of numbers.
STEADY, boys" Not rout or con-
fusion, but faces to the foe, fighting as
we go, yet back, back, steadily we go.
And still those colors are flying in the
very front rank, and the men close
ground, still fighting; yet back, back
we steadily CO.
Steady, boys!" back, back, till the
cross roads are reached. Then the
voice of the General rings out in wild
appeal:
'For Gods sake, men, stand. If we
lose this road, we're lost"
Aye, men. And like men they meet
the appeal. Squarely in the center of
the road those colors are planted, and
there the men take their stand, and
nought but death shall ever drive them
hence. Not even that, for death is hold
ing high carnival among us to-day but
who cares? We laugh at death and
know no fear. Once, and again, and
again, the on.coming host is met by us,
and once, and again, and again, it is
beaten back. But our ranks are thin
ming fast. Hundreds have fallen. Oh,
for help! And still the battle goes on.
One-eighth, one-fourth, one-third our
number have fallen, and there again
comes the enemy.
On they come, without a shot or a
shout; nearer, and shot and shell and
musketry are rained upon them. And
still they come.
A hundred PAGES away, and from each
of our four guns the shrapnell goes
shrieking through the air and bursts in
the ranks of the foe.
Still they come. Fifty PAGES away,
and every gun belches forth its double
charge of canister, and the musketry,
fast andfurious, mows them down by
the hundreds. Still they come. Fifty
PAGES away-twenty. God of mercy!
will nothing stop them?
In our rear rings out sharp word of
command. We haven't time to look
around to see what it means, but on a
sudden mighty rush from behind, and
reserve with cleaning steel sweep
past; we catch a glimpse of the battle
flag. we know that the army has come
up, and we've saved the road. But, ali!
at what fearful cost!-H. c. M0rtindole,
in the Washington World.