Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1881-03-18
A Vivid Battle Picture

a divided battery are stationed on the
crest of an old orchard, which surrounds
an ancient farm house. The other three
arc on the right of the orchard, and the
six pieces point at the meadows below
meadows broken by fences and haystacks
and low trees until they are lost in the
edge of the woods mile away The
eye ranges over the fields in front and
sees nothing to fear The ear listens 10
sounds in rear of tho battery and hears
omlnous preparations for a bloody strug-
gle Cavalry are swinging away to the
right to get a position, infantry are
marching here and thcre-guns rushing
along at gallop and aids fly from point
to point with orders. In ten minutes a
deep stiffness begins to settle down over
tho left wing. The doves fly down from
their cotes, the hens walk about in search
OF food, and the gray-headed farmer
stands at the door and shades his eyes
with his hand and looks curiously about
him. Twenty minutes ago he sat rock
ing on the porch and the bees hew lazily
in the June sunshine, the birds sang in
tho orchard, and afar down the meadow
he heard the voices Of his sons as they
swung their scythes.
All what's that? Down there where
meadow and forest blend we can see
quick puas of blue smoke, and here
comes the sound Of muskets. A blue
cloud just begins to gather and rise
down there, when we catch sight of men,
They are retreating back--coming to-
wards the orchard. They fall back
slowly, hating at every fence to tear it
down and deliver fire from behind the
scattered rails. Now we see long,
thin line of skirmishers emerge from the
woods and occupy the ground as the
other line loses IT, Back back For
ward forward aud you might think it
pantomime if men did rot fall out of the |
lines here and there and drop heavily
to the earth
There is stir around u.s. The silence
been deep that the jingle of sabre
the rattle of spur has made men
vous. Out from the edge OF the
DDS, by the broad highway and across
peaceful fields, pours host of armed
n. Regiment after regiment and line
Or line, sweeping forward like mighty
ves-now undulating, like the course
a serpent--now marching as steadily
the stride of Time. One--three--
b-ten--you cannot count the flags.
k and fringe and gold and bunting
cam over the heads of the men whose
IS are fixed on the orchard and the
lside.
Tho stir deepens. There is a tramp
of feet, orders are given in quick,
,rp tones and three companies of in
try come up at double-quick as
1port and fling themselves down un-
the trees. just q moment now to
ten to the notes Of the blue birds and
bbins--to sec the blue smoke creeping
lily from the farm house chimney to
10 that the marching lines arc almost
thin musket-shot, and down over men
d guns and sabres and shot and shells
Is a shower of pink and white apple
5ssoms-emblems Of purity and peace !
We rough hand brushes them off ,
nnon which moment later is carry
9 u horrible death TO score Of men.
Boom Boom Boom y
Now the fight has begun Men raise
cir voices from whispers TO mad shouts.
lc smoke leaps up and stains the pure /
ossoms. The flame springs forward
I'd scorches the green grass to yellow, [
I'd then burns il 10 the roots.
Arc the lines yet ndvancingf 4
You cannot sec ten feet beyond the
ms, but you can hear. Heavcnsl but
Nv they shout and scream and shrek
I'd curse The guns are using grape
I'd canister, and tho murderous missiles
It men into shreds and scatter flesh and
God over the living far behind. We
c driving them back hip hip bur-!
mol Here they arel Through the
oud Of flame and smoke they rush at
&c guns spectres Of death bursting !
trough and over the vapory barrier
hich has reared itself between the liv- !
Ig and the dead. They shout in fury.
hey shrek in despair. They fight the
cry fame which dissolves them and ,
hey pass the muzzles Of grim monsters.
lere on this acre Of ground--here be-
cath the apple-blossoms--is hell on
lrth. A hell IN which smoke and fame
nd curse and wall and blood aud wounds
nd death are 80 mingled that those out {
ide Of it only hear cno terrible and APP D
alling roar, as il some fierce beast had .
eceived its death wound
Shoot TO the right or Leftover the !
.uns or under them. Strike where you q
gill, but strike TO destroy Now the
ell surges down even to the windows Of .
he old farm house--now back under the !
rees and beyond ID. Dead mon are un-
or the poDderous wheels Of the guns O
mad devils are slashing and shooting
cross the barrels No one seems to
,now friend from foe. Shoot Slash
Xiii And
Rnt tho hell IL diasolved The amoka