The Northwestern standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1885-1886, 1886-01-16
The Battles Of the Dead,

It is midnight in the brick farm house
at Chancellorsville--t new building
on the site Of the one partially destroy
ed when Hooker marched his troops
into the wilderness to get in the rear Of
ZEE at Fredericksburg. In the yard
are the rotting wheels of gun carriages;
In the south wall are a dozen cannon
balls firmly imbedded; half mile be-
low is the stone marking the spot
where Stonewall Jackson received his
mortal wound; here is the same dark
forest which sheltered friend and foe.
Are you asleep"
No"
The last stroke Of IL had scarcely died
away when the farmer opened my bed
room door to ask the question.
'Then maybe you'd like to see it?''
. What2n
1.-The battle Of Charlottesville. The
Federal troops are now in sight on the
Ely's Ford road"
| hastily dressed and passed out into
the yard with him. I noticed that he
had on Confederate uniform, dusty
and worn. looked at my own gar
ments; they were blue. He pointed his
finger down the road, and saw through
the mist of the summer night great
army approaching. There was cavalry,
infantry and artillery-there were flags
and banners and ambulaaces. In two
minutes more the head Of the column
had reached the Charlottesville plank
road. Some turned to the right, some
to the left, some plunged into the
gloomy pine thickets beyond.
But / hear no noise not the foot
step of horse nor the clank of a sa-
ber,' protested.
sHushl lis a battle of the deadl
The spirits of the thousands who fell
here have come to fight the battle once
againin
| looked at him more closely and /
saw the light of battle in his eyes. His
form grew erect, his feet seemed inn
patient and he scented the air as if
eager to join in the fray
Now the highways and byways-the
cleared fields the open woods--the
lonely thickets were full of blue uni
forms. Couriers and aides galloped
here and there--staf officers turned
heads of columns to the right or left.
1t was SO strange to witness those thou
sands moving with such order and yet
giving out no sound.
Look seelo whispered my COM
panion as he pointed down the plank
road.
There was a cloud of smoke rolling
up out of the pine woods and blotching
the star-lit sky like stain of blood. It
spread and grew until half the stars of
heaven were hidden Meanwhile, the
face of every man in blue was turned
that way. We saw battery after bat
terry. regiment after regiment, brigade
after brigade. move down to the scene
of conflict. Tongues of flame flashed
through the smoke-cloud and lighted
up thicket aud field, but there was NO
sound. The stiffness of night was al
most painful.
Here are the resultsl' whispered the
Confederate, and looked to the right
and left to behold the dead and wound
ed. Icould see them in the fields, I'M
der the pines, on the highway. Some
faces show fear and horror Others ea-
pressed yindictiveness. There were
horses lying dead others hobbling
about and seeming to appeal for mercy.
: Il is horrible I whispered.
Ayel but it is over. Il
looked again and the vision had
faded. The highways were barren Of
ne he fields and forests at peace.
The smok cloud had disappeared !, and
The dead and wounded had besn spirit
e away