Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1881-04-07
vivid Battle Picture.


a divided battery are stationed on the.
crest ofan old richard, which surrounds
an ancient farm house. The other three
are on the right Of The orchard, and he
SIX pieces point at the meadows below
meadows broken by fences and haysiacks
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
to sounds IN rear of the battery and
hears ominous preparations for bloody
struggle. Cavalry are swinging away
to the right get position, infantry
are marching here and there-guns
rusiiissg slang u u gallepg asdaai,a ~
from point TO point with orders. In ten
minutes deep stiffness begins TO settle
down over the left wing. The doves
fy 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 rocking on the porch and the
bees few lazlIy in the June sunshine,
the birds sang in the 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 puds Of blue smoke and here
comes the sound Of muskcts. A blue
cloud just begins 10 gather and rise
downtherc. when we catch sight OF men.
They arc rctreahng back--coming to-
wards the orchard. They fall back
slowly, hating al every fence to tear it
down and deliver a fire from behind the
scattered rails. Now we see long,
thin lrne Of skirmishers emerge from the
woods and occupy the ground as the
other line loses it. Back back For
ward forward and you might think
it pantomime II men did not fall out OF
the lines here aud there and drop heav-
ily 20 the earth.
There is q stir around vs.. The silence
has been so deep thai the jingle ola ab e
or The rattle Ola spur has made men
nervous. Out from the edge OF the
woods, by the broad highway and
across the peaceful fields, pours a host
Of armed ncu Regiment after rcgi-
mcul aud line after line, sweeping for
ward like mighty wayes--now undula-
ting, like the course OF serpenl-now
marching as steadily as the stride OF
Time. Observation-Disclosures
cannot count the flags SILK and ffiage
and gold and bunting stream over the
head al ibe men whose ewes are Gxed
on the orchard and the hillside
The stir dccpcus. There IS o tramp
IN. a feet, orders are given IN quick
sharp tones and three companies OF IN
| l3niry come up AZ a douhle-quick as a
support and ting themselves down I'M
der Tie trees. Just a moment now to
listen to the notes OF the blue birds aud
Iobbins-to see the blue smoke creep
ing laziIy from the farm house chm
ncy--to note that the marching lines
are almost within musket-,hot, and
lowa over men aud guns and sabrc-
and shot and shells falls a shower ol
pink and white appIe-blossoms--em.
blcms Of purity aud peace Aye a
rough hand brushes them Oh cannon
which a moment later is carrying hor-
r,blc death TO a score OF men.
Boom Boom Boom
Now the fight has begun. Men raise
their voices from whispers tomad shouts
The smoke leaps mp aud stains the pure
blossoms The flame springs forward
and seorchos the green grass TO yellow,
and then buns il to the roots.
Arc the lines advancing,
You cannot see ten feet beyond the
guns, but you can bear. Heavens but
how they shout and scream and shrek
and curse The guns are using grape
aud canister, and The murderous missiles
cot men into shrcds aud scatter flesh
and blood over the living far behind.
We are driving them back hip hip
hur--l
Not here they are Through the
cloud Of flame aud smoke they rush AT
the guns-,pectreS of death bursting
through and over the vapory barrier
which has reared itself between the
living and the dead. They shout in
fury. They shrek in dispair. They
fight the veryllame which dissolyesthcm
and they pass The muzzles oil the grim
monsters. Here on this acre Of ground
here beneath the apple-blossoms-ie
a he'll IN which smoke and fame and
curse and wall and blood and wounds
and death are SO mingled that those out
side Of il only hear one terrible and APP
palling roar, as il some fierce beast had
received its death wound.
Shoot to the right or leftover the
guns or under them, Strike where you
will, but strike TO destroy Now the
hell surgcs down even to the windows
Of the old farm hoHse---now back under
The trees and beyond it. Dead men ore
under the ponderous wheels OF the guns
--mad devils are slashng and shooting
across the barrels, No one seems &c
know friend from foe, Shoot Slash
Kill And
Butthe hell is dissolved. The smoke
is Lifting, shrieks and screams growing
fainter and twenty or thirty living mer
pull the bodies OF the dead away from
The guns and renew the slaughter agains