Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1881-01-27

Xoao q Field Battery Comes sasO
| -Actioa, Graphic Pen
! Pietxrs-ey a Land
| Engagement.
i Did you ever see battery take
position 2
II hasn't the thrill of a cavalry
charge, nor the grimness of a line
OF bayo'ets moving slowly and de-
ternined on. but there is a peculiar
excitement about it that makes old
veterans rise in their saddles and
cheer. We have been lighting at
the ed ge of the weeds. Every
cartridge box has been emptied
once more, aud fourth of the brig
ade has melted away in deal, aud
wounded and missing. Not a
cheer is heard in the whole brigade
We know that we are being driven
foot by fnot, and that when we
break back once more the line viii
90 +" pieces and the enemy will
pour through the gap.
Here comes help! Down the
crowded high way gallops a battery,
: Withdrawn from some other posi-
ti"ns save ours. The field fence
is scattered while you could count
thirty, and the gums rush for the
hill behind us. SIX horses to a
piece three riders to each gun
Over dry bitches where a farmer
} would not drive wagon, through
, clunps OF bushes. over logs foot
; thick, every horse on the gall"p,
: every rider lashing his team and
yelling g-the sight behind ulakes us
forget the f"e in front. The guns
jump two feet high as the heavy
: wheels strike rocks or logs, but NOT
J a horse slackens his pace, not a
/, cannonccr Loses his seat. Six guns
six Gals ons, sixty horses, eighty
iae, race for the brow of the hill
/. as it he who reached it first would
: be kni nigtsted.
A moment ago the battery was
: a e infused mob.
!, We look again AMI the six guns
! ;re in POSITION, the detached horse
hurf3ing away, the ammunition
chests open, and alcng our line aun:
> the command, Give them one
= more volley and then fail back t,
; support the gnn,!' We hav,
scarcely obeyed when boom
; boom boemt opens the battery
and jets OF fire jump down ane
scorcii the green trees under whicl
: : we fought and despaired. The
shattered old brigade has chance
t" breathe for tie first tiuae in three
:. hours, AS we form line of b.ttl.
:, behind the guns and lie down
:, What g,i,n, cool fellows those can
noneers are! Every man is per-
! feet machine. Bullets splash dus
in their faces, bur they do not vince
Bullets sing over and around them
= put they do not dodge. There goes
= one to the earth shot through the
i. head as he sponged his gun. The
. machinery loses just one beat
q misses just one cog in the wheel
a and then works away as before
Every gun is using short fuse shell
The ground shakes and trembles- =
the roar shuts out all sounds from q
:, :. battle line three milrs long, and tn
!. shells 60 sllrieking into the SWAMP
. to cut trees short "ff-to NOW grea
gaps i'll the hushes-te hunt on
and shadow and mangle men unit
; their c"rpses cannot be recognized
as human. You would think ;
: tornado was bowling through the
: forest, followed by billows OF fire
. and yet men I've through it-aye
: press forward TO capture the bat
: terry! We can hear their shouts a.
! they torn for a rush.
q Now the shells are changed fn
g grape aud cannis:er. and the gun.
{ are served 30 fast that all report,
a blend into one mighty roar. Til.
), shrek of II shell is the wickedes
= sound in war. but nothing make,
v the flesh crawl like the delnonia,
It singing, pnrring, whistling grape
u shot and the serpen..like hiss o
e canister. Mems logs and arms al.
Q not shot tIlnugh, 5nt torn off
}. Heads are torn from bodies, an,
70 bodis are cnt in two. A round sho
b or shell takes two men out of til,
If Ranks as it crashes through. Grap'
d aud canister. NOW swat and pill,
d the dead on top of each other
d Through the smoke we see swarm
q OF men. it is not battle line, bul
II mob OF men desperate enough I,
N bathe their bayonets in the fiam
d Of the guns. They leap from tn
'e ground almost as they are depress
4 ed on the foe, and shrieks am
: screams and shouts blend into on,
e awful and steady cry Twent
.. men out on the battery are down
'e and the firing is interrupted. Th
st foe accept it as sign OF waverin
and come rushing on. They ar
ia not tel. feet away when the gun
it give them a last slot. That dis
l .