The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1881-10-08


hurrying artillery, the rderess steeds madly
rushing to and fro, their shrill neighing minging
with the groans, screams and shrieks of the
wounded" Here there is no disorder. The men
calm, silent, cheerful. The commands of the
officers, given in quiet, subdued voice are dis
tinctly heard and calmly obeyed The regiments
man9uvre without flaw.
In this trying moment the guides are ordered
opt, and the alignment made perfect as on dress
parade. The destruction of human beings is done
with order and system Yet it is terrible enoughS
the Yery'absence of confusion and excitement but
adds to the dreadful intensity OF the horror. As
for the screams and shrieks, | have never heard
anything of that kind either the field Or in the
hospitals. 1t may be that the soldiers of other
nations indulge in cries and yells; our men took
their punishment without complaint a muir
muir. Just before morning from this spot one of
my young officers, a brave boy from Chester
county, Pennsylvania, Lieutenant Seneca c. Will
lauer was badly torn by q shell, which stripped
the flesh from his thigh and left the bone for four
or five inches white and bare. He came to me,
and, holding up the bleeding limb for inspection,
said, with the most gentle manner and placid
voice: Colonel, do You think that | should 90
doubt had L told him to go on he would have
done So Then the advance is sounded. The
orders of the regimental commanders rang out
clear on the cold December air. Right shoulder,
shift arms battalion forward, guide centre,
march," The long lines of bayOnets glitter in
the bright sunlight. We have no friendly FOG. as
Meade had, to hide from our foes, and us we
advance up the slope come in full view of the
Army of Northern Virginia All their batteries
open upon us. We can trace their line by the
fringe Of blue smoke that quickly appears along
the base of the hills, and we see that we are
marching into of fire. And what recep-
ton awaits us, Fire in our front, from our right
and our left Shells come at us direct and
oblique and drop down from above; shells enfilade
our lines, burst among us in front, in rear above
and behind Us. Shells everywhere; torrent of
shells; blizzard of shOs she'll and fire. The
lines press on steadily. The gaps made in the
ranks are quickly closed. The colOrs often kiss
the ground but are quickly Snatched from dead
hands and held aOft again by others who soon
in their turn Will smite the dust. The regimental
commanders march out far III advance Of their
commands, and they, too, fall rapidly, but others
to take their places. Still in good order,
we push forward until five hundred yards of the
long half mile that lay between us and Marye's
Heights is passed, then the sharp whiz of the
minnie joins the loud scream of the Oblong bolts.
Soon forget the presence of the shells in
the shower Of smaller missiles that assail us.
The hills rain fire and the men advance with
heads bowed as when walking against a hail
storm. Still through the deadly shower the ever
thinning lines press on. The plain over which
- " 4I,o
of the Second Corps. dead, in twos and threes
and in groups. Regiments and companies have
now their third OF fourth commander and the
cOlOrs are borne to the front by the third or
fourth gallant soul who has raised them. The
gaps in the lines have become so large and so
numerous that we have TO make continued efforts
to close them, and the command Guide centre"
is frequently heard French nears the entrench-
ments of the Confederates' first line and the
enemy redOuble their efforts. The storm rises
to greater fury. The struggle is hopeless. His
lines wave like corn in a hurricane, recOil, then
break, and the shattered mass falls back amid
the shouts and cheers of Cobb's and Kershaw's
brigades, that line the trenches in our front.
Now Hancock with the division that never lost
gun or color sweeps forward, and, being
joined by many of the gallant men of French's
command, makes the most heroic effort of the
day Passing the furthest point reached by the
preceding troops, he impetuOusly PUSHES on,
passes the brick house so conspicuous on the
field-on, on, until his flags wave within twenty
five PAGES of the fatal stone wall. Then with
murderous fire everywhere around us we realize
the full absurdity of the attempt to accomplish
an utter impossibility We had not yet fired a
shot. We had only reached the spot where our
work was to begin. Forty per cent. OF the force
had already fallen. No support within three
quarters of mile. In our front line after line
of works followed each other up the terraced
heights to the very crest, which was covered
with artillery. To carry the assault further
would be extreme madness. Should we take
and occupy the first line, it would simply be to
meet the fire of the second and third. To fight
the host in front was not possible. We were
here only to be shot down without being able TO
return the blow. So the division, or rather the
half of it that still existed, began falling back;
but Hancock would not be driven from the field,
and hating where the formation of the ground
afforded some shelter to his hard-tried command
he remained until relieved at nightfall And
now the long, long, dreadful afternoon that
awaited the thousands wounded, who lay seat
tered over the sad and CHASTITY plain.
Tl,aO ,1x-, Of tho hria