National Republican., 1883-04-05

bVfeVcher-DearerS ana their burden, which
they had just deposited on the ground The
canvas was but slightly stained with carmine,
but there was death in the pallid face of the
occupant Not yet fully in possession, for
the muscles of the face quivered family, but
the mortgage was being rapidly foreclosed,
and the only cloud on the tile was the spark
oflife which still feebly glowed in the lac
Grated body.
Our regimental surgeon stepped forward
with his case of instruments held in hands
dyed red-a merciful red, though--and
kneelling by the side of the stretcher, he
looked down upon the marble features Then
his fingers sought the pulse, and without a
word he moved away to n little group
gathered about another dying hero.
This is what is seen in the rear of a
line of battle engaged. Out of the seeth-
ing caldron, whose fumes and vapors were
tossed and whrled on high, they came
with their little remnant of strength to
die. II was u gloomy ending of high
hopes, ambitious dreams: but what mattered
that2 Flying lead is no respecter of persons,
and no matter how brave, how aspiring, how
patriotic, If ono happens to be in the way of a
fractional part of that seventy pounds of lead,
which it has been demonstrated are necessary
in battle to blot out one life, the victim
must console himself with the thought that
1t might have been some one else, and accept
the inevitable. But the valkyrs were un-
usually busy during those feverish days of
1864, marking victims for tho sacrifice, and
the population of Nalbala was materially
increased by some of the noblest spirits who
have ever mounted from earth in the diapason
of battle.
But mingled with these manned ones were
forms that skulked from thicket to thicket,
darting here and there in an erratic way, but
persistently edging to the rear. These were
the men who, in the expressive vocabulary of
the soldier, were termed coffee coolers ~
men who valued their lives and limbs not
only at higher price than the government
paid for the perilous service il demanded of
them, but ut an exceedingly greater value
than honor or reputation. And yet, many of
these men were to be pitied, rather than con-
demned. Nature gave them cowardice, just
as IL gave Others courage; nature endowed
them with too little pride, or too little force
of character to overcome their timidity, Just
as IL endowed others, equally timid, with a
will which compelled their cowardly legs to
carry them to the front.
have known men who absolutely could
not force themselves to go into fight. There
was one in my own company who, whenever
appearances indicated set-to with the enemy,
invariably became weak in tho knee joints
and had to be carried in. Prodding him in
the stern sheets with bayonet was as ineffi-
cacious as the reprimand of his officers and
the railery of his comrades. Ho seemed to
enjoy the luxury of tho buck -and-gag or
being tied up by the thumbs when those
remedies were administered as o substitute
for "going in" Sometimes he had fits, or
appeared to have them, twisting his body into
all sorts of knots and foaming at the mouth
like q bottle of old fashioned brewers yeast
This fit business, however, came to an un-
timely end through q discovery made later on
in tho campaign, but it illustrates the dis
oitetinU which fnnr will in1uaa a
man to take to escape danger.
After our arrival at Petersburg, while we
were getting into line for the first of the dis
astrous charges which were made to capture
Lees initial series of breastworks, one of the
men ran up to me with the exclamation
Lieutenant, c. is back there behind q
tree eating soapp l stepped back to the tree
indicated and found the gentleman making
preparations for first class convulson. He
had already begun to produce foam, but the
muscular part of the fit was nipped in the bud
He went in " that time with couple of the
reckless ones Immediately in his rear, with
orders to shoot at the first indication of q re.
turn of the symptoms. He came out physi-
cally sound, but q mental wreck.
OF course where it is as much part of a
mans business to be killed as it is to kill, the
party concerned ought to know before en-
listing whether he can meet the strain, but
unfortunately there is no approved method
of ascertaining until compelled to face the
actual storm whether he can do the thing
like man or not.
There are times and circumstances when
almost any one can 90 into action with q will,
as when going forward in hurrah sort OF
way, but there are others when nothing but
pride or the strongest sense of duty can force
ones precious body to the front. Lying in
the rear of the line of battle that afternoon
we saw at least q hundred slkull1ers, and
have no doubt many of them were suffering
more acute mental torture than those who
We're standing up to their work with nothing
between them and the enemy but the shield
of smoke.
There is a terrible fascination about a bat.
tie, and so we found it that day while listen
ing to its thunder and seeing its hotsam and
jetsam passing out on the tide that set SC
steadily to the rear. While this appeared on
the surface, we were conscious of an under.
tow that moved as ceaselessly TO the front, and
something of an effort was required to pre-
vent oneself from falling into the skeleton
arms that seemed to reach out from its depths
be ckoning us forward.
1t may have been only human curiosity
it may have been the effect of that tincture OF
barbarism which still remains in the human
vheart and is satcd by the sight of slaughter
whatever il was, the desire to look on the
fight was almost universal.
What are they doing in there?" "What
corps is it?" "How is the fight going on ~
They're having the DEVILS own holiday on
the -line!" THE firing hasn't moved since il
opened" "Won't we go in soon?"
All these remarks were expressions of the
general attraction toward the pit of horrors
and many of the men moved forward to the
edge of the timber to be as near as they were
permitted for the time being to 60 to the
butchery we knew was being done.
Nor were we alone in the restless desire tc
cast our eyes on the tragedy. High over the
bank of smoke that filtered through the
leaves of the forest, on unquivering wing al
eagle swept in great circles around the
charmed spot, ever going and ever returning
a fit spectator of the combat
"By George!" exclaimed an officer at my
side "that is finer picture than Gettys.
burg"
Yes, it's q beautiful picture !" returned
Captain d., who was as practical as a horse
" there's nothing to see. You might as we'll
daub board with black paint and call it a
portrait of Moses"
"Why, that is just the beauty of it," replied
the first speaker; " the forest, the shadows,
the roar of the fight, that royal sentinel look
ing down on it as calmly as n king, and fancy
to fill in the details! / say it is the grandest
picture l have ever seen!" And the poetic
shoulder-strapped gentleman moved oil in
response to an invitation from his servant to
partake of n slice of fried pork.
WhRn Hancock came up in the afternoon
and put in his divisions there was q tremend-
Gus swell in the chorus of the battle, and the
forest rang again with the whirlwind of sound
that swept through il.
by this time Hill had his force well up, so