The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1883-07-05

four days. Then, as time goes on and the army
gets further away from its base Of operations,
| the wagons are all required TO haul cOmmissary
stores and ammunition, and the company tents
are left behind, and the boys are without any
shelter save the little piece of canvas, about q
yard WIDE and two yards long, that each man
now adds to his load. Two comrades fasten
their strips of canvas together and make shell
ter tents, or dog tents The troops are wading
through bayOus and swamps, marching under
a snltry sun in a choking dust, cutting down
trees to make corduroy roads, digging trenches,
sleeping in the water, improperly fed, poorly
clothed, with practically no shelter, loaded
down with more than their frail shoulders
could carry, and worn out with marching, is ID
any wonder the weary boys died in camp, died
on the march and became the prey of the
swamp fevers?
LETTERS FROM HOMIE.
How their faces would light up with JOY,
with - smiles ON the lips and tears in the eyes,
when they received letters from home. When
we look back at them in memory we see that
there We're all kinds of boys in the army and
that the army was composed principally Of
young fellows. There were bows who had
been household pets, boys who loved their
homes and friends, boys who carried testamenss
that they would read in camp, boys with sweet
hearts back at home, boys as innocent and free
from sin as angels Of light boys with tender
1t was not for the paltry pittanee of S13 per
month they sacrificed their lives. It was nos
for money. 1t was because they loved their
country and its history aud they loved their
couRtry's flag, and that flag, as their eOantry's
emblem, became dearer to them every day.
We must remember that it was the boys IN the
ranks that put down the rebellion. They had
no ambition for a soldiers life. They sought
not for q bubble reputation at the cannOn's
mouth. They knew too we'll that the groaE,
the roll in dust, the all-white eye turned back
within its socket, woaId reward the rank and
file by thousands, while the rest might win,
perhaps, ribbon at the breast.
JUST BEFORE THE BATTLE.
At last, they arrived close to where the en-
enny was in force They ali had the same feel
ing that you have had when battle was inlni-
nent. 1t was strange, thrilling feeling. feel
ing that you were standing near the verge OF
the grave. There was fear that you could not
endure the terrible ordeal, dread that you
might not be able TO 90 your whole duty.
There IS rapid marching, troops are massng,
cavalry are going up in front, lines of battle
are hurriedly formed, batteries of artillery
rush into position, the lines move forward
some distance, they hear Struggling shots away
in front, and now there IS a scattering volley
and they know the cavalry have found the
position OF the enemy. Perhaps it's across
that open field in the heavy timber. Now the
cavalry are sent to the rear or to guard the
Hanks the infantry skirIniShers are In frons
and there is deadly work upon the skirmish
line. The shots are now following each other
in quick succession, skirmisheFs come into the
line OF battle pale and bleeding, some with
shattered arms or otherwise desperately
wounded, and now the skirmishers in a body
all come in on the run and take their places in
the line of battle. No, not all; some are lying
out there on the skiFmish line, and they viii
never hear the hugle call again.
The soldiers in the line of battle have by this
time taken OFF their hayersacIzs and the rolls
containing the blanket and p0nehO and piled
them up in heaps; these things are too ea.n-
bersome to fight IN. and they may never need
them again, but they keep their eanteens-
they will need the water if wounded. They
open their cartridge boxes and there is a mo-
ment of suspense. The faces are all white an
death along the line; there is sinking feel
ing of the heart, catching of the breath
many silent prayer IS going up 70 the God OF
battle, not asking him to spare their lives
that IS not a soldiers prayer-they know that
some must die and they are not selfish enough
TO ask that their lives nizBy DO spared. They
pray that they may have courage to do their
whole duty. and they pray the AlI-wise Father
TO guard aud care for the dear ones at home.
THE BAPTISM OF BLOOD.
There is an advance by one side or the other,
guns, q continuous, thunderous, unbroken roar,
with the deeper, heavier booming OF cannon
beating as an accompaniment, shot and shell
are tearing through the ranks; then. perhaps,
there IS rush BY one side or the other with
fixed bayonets, and shriil charging yell,
wild thrilling yell, continued piercing
shrek that was never heard by mortal
ear except in battle. This shrek IS broken
and drowned out by another roar OF mGsketry
and a crash of grape aud canister shot, and our
point Is woa or lost, and field is covered with
dead and dying men. Glorious forms made
in the image of God are terribly mutiiated
and torn. Groans of agony are breaking from
paliId lips, the dew OF death IS glisteniag upon
many brows, eyes so bright and brave 3 moment
ago are rapidly glazing now. The idols OK
many peaceful and once happy homes are lying
here The last thought, perhaps, is Of s0E1e
dear mother, some aged father, some beloved
wife, some darling child that viii never hear
its fathers voice again, or, perhaps of some
sweetheart in that far away home; and then
the spirit goes out into she unknOgn-Out into
eternity.
RURYING THE DEAD.
Then, if the battle is over-this may bs bus
the commencement of 1.-THE wounded ara
tenderly carried under the shade of the trees,
where the surgeons are operating with probe
and lancet, with knife and saw. Then there is
the buryiug of the dead; there are 10 collins,
there IS no bathing, no preparing the body Tor
the grave, no funeral ceremony; the boys ara
laid in their bloody clothes side by side. per
haps N some shallow. ditch. perhaps on top Of
the ground, some earth IS piled up0n them. no
monument is erected above them, but they ara
left IN unknown and unmarked graves until
the Judgment day. And those who have sur
vived and received their baptism Of fre-a
baptism that was holy, and perhaps more sacred,
more solemn, perhaps bringing them nearer to
God than any baptism of church OF creed. be-
cause il vas a sacrifice an offering of lie for
principle and right upon the altar Of their
country, . baptism in which they were sprinkled
with bIood-eyen with tks blood of the bravest
of the brave.
How THEY CAME BACK.
Their experience varied. Some went bons
early manned or diseased. 20 die at the old
homestead some went out from among u
crippled for life; many were slain IN battle !;
some were captured and doomed solinger stzrve,
and die IN rebel prison pens; some were slain
n the treacherous ambush and some upon the
picket line; many died froa swamp fever, and
some from pure home sickness. And some sur
yived is AL to come home again. But many,
very many of the brayest and truesr never,
never came back at all Their regiments came
homo shattered, decinnated, with torn and blood
stained banners. A regiment shat had marched
away twelve hundred stroHg at the com-
mencement of the war, returns with perhaps
only one hundred of the original members.
Where are all the rest of the bright, brave