News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-05-29
BEHIND THE EARTHWORKS,
THE ATTEMPT OF BRIGADE TO DIS
LODGE A REGIMENT.

LODGE REGIMENT.
The Advance With the skirmishers In Front
The Attack-The Repulse-And Such is
War.
All it was one of the prettiest June
days even Virginia ever saw. There was
such a mellow sunshine that every
flower and blossom turned its face to be
kissed, and there was such a happy,
peaceful look down across the fields to-
ward the James River that men forgot
for moment that war existed. In the
trees overhead the robins called to each
other, and once blue-bird alighted on
the wheel of field-piece which had its
shining brass muzzle thrust through the
embrasure, ready to send its shrieking
shell whenever hand pulled the lock-
string.
There were thousand of us down be-
hind the earthworks, and we were so
quiet that the voice of the colonel
reached the last men on the TANKS as he
cautioned us "My lads, we are going
to hold this position against whole
army p
See A thin line of men-skirmishers
to the number of fifty-suddenly break
cover from the woods half mile away
and advance upon us. They skulk-
they dodge-they drop down and sudden
ly rise again and advance as stealthily
as Indians intent upon surprising ham,
let. Bah Fifty men against 1000 !!
No, it is not that. The octopus is in
the woods these skirmishers are the long
arms he is reaching out to feel us-to
uncover our position-to ascertain our
strength.
Puff Puff
1t is the fire of the skirmishers. You
know where the watch dog is by his
growl. They are trying to provoke the
beast to betray his retreat. Zip Zip !!
How the bullets sing as they fly over
our heads There is dead silence behind
harder-we clutch our guns with tighter
grip, but we are silent. To kill an octo-
pus you must strike at the body. Sever
his arms and they will grow again.
"Popl popl pop Zip zip zipI"
"Steady, lads, and wait for the word /"
says the Colonel.
There is no excitement among us. l
hear the man on my right shut his teeth
with gritting sound, and the one on
my left is breathing like weary man In
profound slumber. If should look up
and down the line / might see pale faces
but I am looking down across the field,
and over the heads of the skirmishers.
The grandest sight of the world is to see
the Octopus of War leave his lair and
come forth thirsting for human blood.
All ! here he comes His feelers have
failed to uncover US, but he can judge
for himself that such a short line of
works cannot conceal more than full
regiment. He noes not know that our
right flank rests on a 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
the woods and forms for the charge.
Regiments and companies swing into
position as if on parade. The skirmish-
ers redouble their fire, and a general
gallops along the front of the brigade,
as if to see that every foot is on line with
its neighbor.
Now they get the word to advance,
and at the same instant our field-pieces
open fire. The cruel shell are striking
men to pieces by the half-dozen, but as
the smoke lifts we find the Octopus
marching on with steady movement.
He 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 nations
depended upon them. The smoke drops
down in a great cloud, and one cannot
see beyond his bayonet. Now it is rent
and shattered, and it lifts and floats
away in great pieces and fragments.
'Now lads-and fire low p
The Octopus has been staggered
wounded-halted-b here he comes
again. Right in front of me see face
and form which L select as a target I
could kill him now, but I grimly wait
for him to come nearer. He is pale with
excitement, and as the man at his left is
struck down, my target loses his steady
step of the line. But only for an instant.
Now he is not over forty feet away, and
the fire of musketry has checked the ad-
vance. My weapon points straight at
him. I am looking right into his eyes.
I note his brown curls, his high fore
head-the white teeth shut tight to-
gether in his excitement. He is not
over 20 years old. He has a mother
whose poor old 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 to the left, and
then into my eyes. He is standing al
most alone. AS our eyes meet be sees
murder in mine, and read an appeal
for mercy in his. The result of battle
does not hinge upon the life of corpo-
raj. The war will not be over the sooner
for his death. But I take deliberate aim
at his breast and press the trigger, and
even before l feel the shock of discharge
I see the red blood spray out from the
shrek upon his lips.
The Octopus is beaten back. I 90
over the works and find my target.
Those brown curls are damp with death
the fair face is white as snow-the
ground soaked with blood so precious
that every drop will call for a hundred
tears from woman's eyes. The blue eyes
are wide open, the lips are parted, and
as I bend over him it seems as if his
voice came back for an instant to whisper
the exclamation Murderer
And that was war. That was one of the
acts which helped to make victory for
thousands to shout over-for flags to
rockets to ascend-for
children to cheer and women to bless