New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-05-03
UNDER FIRE.
. rpur BoRpeR STORY OF THE WAR.

family for the benefit of his health. He purchased
a little farm in Virginia. about three miles rom
Washington, ID. c., access to which was mad pv
the way of Georgetown and the Aqueduct Bridge
He gradually failed in health, however, ana uieu,
leaving a widow-Mrs Gayes-and two glrls anu
two boys At the breaking out OF the war In iooi,
Mrs Cages and her elder daughter, VINO was %ovu
fifteen years of age, took decided stanu IL 80
of the Inion cause 1t required not a htIie mum.
" ~ a. - .h;s. hot there was no element OF
Goo, ;u the makeup of any member oil the iamily'
.."e,, ,beir home was within the Confederate
s.. aod communication with Washington was
xarv difiirult and hazardous. Mrs. Cages was
ridicuIed aud sometimes threatened, bat 1t awaited
nothing
After the Confederate lines driven back
q few miles IN 1861. Notifications were con-
structed around Washington for the protection
of the National Capital They consisted
of chain of forts arranged in nearly circle
The line crossed tue Potomac near Chain Bridge
above Georgetown, extending thence down
TO Arlington Heights and some distance below
recrossing the river about half way between Long
Bridge and Alexandria, and 80 on around until the
circle was complete Within this line. and about
n mile and half from Fort Smith, situated on
little emlnence. was Mrs Gayes's modest home,
protected now from the enemy. but suffering more
perhaps from her friends. Many regiments were
encanped near by; and little by little her timber
and fences and stock and crops disappeared. until
there was scarcely anything left save the house
and The land. Even the cook-stove was missing
one morning Very frequently at night she was
a,oused by the beating of the long roll" the
shouting of words of command. and the tramplng
of regiments as they swiftly formed in line OF
battle to meet the expected enemy. On such occa-
sions all tue members of the family would hastily
dress. secure about their persons what valuaOies
they had, and patiently wait. During all these
trying years she and her daughter were oevoted
friends of the Union cause. and their willing hanus
were untiring in doing something for the soldiers.
Ii was midsummer morning IN 1864. Out III
the fields and in the city it was bcorcbins hot
But in Mrs Gayes's house, protected as At was
from the rays of the sun by the abundant foliage
of the great oaks which surrounded 1t, the heat
was not oppressive. Mrs. Cages WAS in the sitting
room reading a paper. The elder daughter was III
Washington harey-the elder son-who was
then near twelve years of age was playing win
the dog on the porch. 1t was peaceful quet
picture of Virginia country life. Suddenly there
came loud. whstling. screaming sound. followed
nv a territ c ex plosiou directly over the house.
sWhy |" calculated Mrs. Cages, as she started
from her seat "what heavy clap Of" thunder
abe was about to say, bu. the unmstakabe hum
ming. twanQing sounds which followed close upon
the explosion, with the falling OF leaves ana
broken branches from the trees, told her 1t was a
shell from some heavy gun.
ais il possible the rebels are making an attack 7
she said.
The children now came running In from theu
play, and one of them cried out, "Oh, mamma!
the lightning has struck the trees" Mrs. Gayes
went ont on the porch and looked and listened,
but nothing unus lal could be seen or heard.
at was SHE'LL" said she. " expect gun at
ma of the forts went OFF accidentally"
SWELL" said Charley. Z" when they load their
guns wish they'd point them toward Richmond
They ought to be ashamed of themselves"
Il don't think we shall be troubled any MORE"
said the mother she returned to the sitting room.
followed by the children. She had but just resumed
her seat when another she'll buried itself in the
earth few rods from the house and burst. throwing
ND clouds of dust ana dirt
aWhat oan it mean 7" said Mrs Cages
al know what it means. mammal cried
Charley sThat New-York regiment which has inst
been sent over 10 Fort Smith has put up target in
our field and the fellows firing at it. wish
was a general I'd put every one of them in the
guard-hOuse1
The boy was right in his surmiso, and in few
moments another missile thrown from ono of the
huge siege guns with which the fort armed.
struck. quarter of mile away, and came bound
ing OF ricocheting toward the house. striking the
ground at short intervals in its mad course. some
thing as a stone when thrown violently upon the
water skps along the surface. With shrek like
ademon it plunged through the garden. destroying
everything in its path, filled tho air with dust,
gave two OF three more skps and screeches, and
finally burst near the road Mrs
Cages turned pale.
aCome down into the cellar with me, all of you."
she said and they obeycd with alacrity After she
had queted Eliza, the negro servant, who was
IN u de
Missus Cages to save her, she said
"Charey, yOu must run up to Mr.. Persons just
es fast as you can and ask him TO around TO the
fort and have the firing stopped. And you remain
at Mr.. Persons until | sent for you Don't come
back. You are not afraid to 60, are you y A..
gNo, mamma, Pm not AFRAID answered the
brave little fellow as he claSDed his mothers hand
a little tighter. -,
the next shell comes want you to go" When 1t
came she kissed. him, and said, NOW my brave
boy. runP ~
though. il better TO remain that she might be with
the other two children IN case the house should
be struck aud burned. Ii cost her struggle TO
send her SOP forth on such perilons errand, and
her face was very pale she kissed him. Away
sped Charley through the garden. CHANGING wlth
wonder at the great burrows the shells bad
ploughed climbed the fence and started 10 run
with all his might toward Mr.. Persons house
which was half a mile distant lie had scarcely
left the garden fence, however. when another shell
came tearing through the shrubbery he had Just
passed and burst close to the house. The mothers
heart stood still for an rnstant.-and there was
cause for it. One of the flying fragments struck
moor Charley and be fell to the ground with cry
of " Oh, mammal" Down IN the cellar the mother
heard the CRY of her wounded boy and IN
moment she was kneeling by his SIDE 1t was a SAD
sight for a mother to look upon. The cruel piece OF
iron with its ragged edges had stripped great
piece of flesh from the back of his ankle upward.
completely severing the cord and laying bare the
bone. He was lying upon bis lace. and the blood
was already staining the green grass where he bad
fallen Speaking words of encouragement, she
removed his shoe and the fragment oil stocking.
and hastily bound up the wound with strips torn
from her clothing. In this way she stanched the