Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-08-03
CRrEt WAR.

I odS VI kuc pEetbtSSt uuS Gay
even Nirginia ever saw. There was suct
mellow sunshine ihat every flower and
bio Ssoa turned its face 10 be kissed
aud .nsre was such happy, peaceful
look o1sn across the fields toward the
James River that IHeu forgot for a mo-
/ ment that var existed. In the trees
overhead the robins called 70 each other
and ouce \ biue-bIrd alirhted on the
wheel of teldpleee which had its shin.
lag brass mGEzle thrust through the
etn hrasare. ready TO send its shriekIng
shell Hbeneyer hand pulled the lock
string.
laere were a thousand of us down
behind the earthworks. and We were so
quiet that the cords of the Colone!
reached the last man on the tanks as
he cantioned Us:
Ally lads, We are going TO hold this
position against a whole armyr'
See, A thin line of nen-skirmish-
ers to the number of tifty-sudieniy
break cover from tue woods half a mile
away and advance upon Us. They skuik
they dodge-they drop down and sud
denly rise again and advance as stealth
ily as Indians intent upon surprising a
hamlet. Bah, Fifty men against one
thousand, No, it is not that. he octo-
pus Is IN the woods; these skirmishers
are the long arms he is reaching out TO
feel us-to uncover our pOsItlon-to as
certain our strength.
Puff Puff
Ii Is the fire of the skirmishers. You
know where the watch dog is by his
gro~l. They are trying to provoke the
beast to betray his Retreat. ZIP, ZIP!
HON. he hpHlaRs
ht ads. There l. dead silence behind the
works. We breathe faster ana harder;
We clutch our guns with tighter grip, but
We are silent 10 xiii an octopas You
must strike at the body; sever his arms
and tley will grow again.
Pop! pop! pop. ZIP. zips
Steady, boys, and Wall for the word"
said the Colonel.
There was no excitement among u.s.
hear tue man on my right shut his
teeth With gritting sound, and the one
on my left is breathing like a weary man
Ia profound slumber. If | shoulk look
up and down the liue might see pale
faces, but am looking down across the
nSlds and over the heads Of the Skin
mishers. Inc grsndest sight In the
world is to see the Ojtopus of War leave
his lair and come forth tsIrsting for hu-
man blood.
All! here he comesl His feelers have
failed 10 uncover US, but he oaa Judge
for himself tnat snon q short lIns of
works cannot conceal more than full
regiment. tie does not know that our
right Il .nk Tests GA swamp, and our
left on an impossible ravIne. while our
front offers no shelter even for rabbit.
Look! the sight is worth ten years of
your life! A full brigade pours out of
tbs woods aud forms tor charge. Reei-
ments and companies swing into posi-
ton as If on parade. The skirmishers
redouble their ire. and General pallops
along tue front of tie brigade, as If {,
sse that every foot is Oh line with its
neiQhbor.
Nov they get the word to advance.
AMI at the same instant cur fieldpieces
open fire. Tue cruel shell are striking
plump into the irons rank and tearing
men To pieces by the half-dozen, but AS
tue smoke lifts we find the octopus
marching on with steady movement.
de wants blood. He will demand drop
for drop-and more! Ha! The shrek
of shell has changed TO the whistle of
grape and canister, and the men at the
guns are working as If the fate of ma
lions depended upon them. The smoke
crops down In a great black cloud, and
one cannot see beyond his bayonet,
Nov It is rent and shattered, and it lifts
and floats away In great pieces and fraS-
ments.
Now, lads, and fire low
The octopus has been staggered
wounded-h here he comes
again. Right in front of me see a
face and form which select as target.
| could kill him now, bnt | grizzly wait
for him to come nearer. He is pale
with excitement, and as the man at his
left is struck down, my target loses the
steady step of the line. But oniv for
an instant. Now he is not over FORTY
feet away, and the fire of musketry has
checked the advance. Nv weapon
points straight at him. / am looking
right into his eyes. | note his brown
curis, his high forehsad - the white
teeth shut tight together in excitement.
He is not over 20 years old. He has
mother whose poor heart will almost
break tomorrow. He has sisters who
will refuse to be comforted for long
months. And such fair. faced boy
must have a sweetheart whose very soul
will cry out in anguish at the news of
his death.
am going to kill him. The excite
ment of the check has confused him.
He looks to the right and left, aud
then into my eyes. He is standing
almost alone. As our eyes meet he
sees murder in mine, and | read an
appeal for mercy in his. The result
of battle does not hinge upon the
life of a corporal. The war will not
be over the sooner for his death. But
take deliberate aim at his brelst and
press the trigger, and even before feel
the shock of tue discharge see the red
blood spray out from the horrible
wound. and he falls hack with a shrek
upon his lips.
Ths octopus is beaten back. Igo over
the works and find my target. Those
brown curls are damp with death; the
fair face az white as snow-the ground
soaked with blood SO precioas that every
drop will call for hundred tears from
women's ewes. The blus eyes are wide
open, the lips are parted, and as / bend
over him IL seems as If his voice came
back for an instant to whisper the ex-
elamati u: Murderer
And that was war. That was one of
the acts which helped to make a victory
for thousands TO shout over-for flags to
wave-for rockets to ascend-for child
ren to cheer and women to bless high