Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1886-12-24

rounded by gal1oping cannoneers, who
goaded the draft horses on with blows with
the flats of their drawn sabers. Another
gun, with its straining horses and galloping at
tendants, and another, and another, until six
great, grim pieces, with their scores of des-
perateIy eager men and horses, had rushed by
toward the front.
1t was sight to stir the coolest blood. The
excited infantry boys, wrought up to the last
pitch by the spectacle, sprang back into the
road, cheered vociferously, and rushed on
after the battery.
Hardly had the echoes of their voices died
away, when they heard the battery join its
thunders to the din of the fight.
Then wounded men. powder-stained, came
struggling back-men with shattered arms
and gashed faces and garments soaked with
blood from bleeding wounds.
"Hurrah, boysir each shouted with weak
ened voice, as his eyes lighted up at sight of
the regiment, "We're whipping them; but
hurry forward! You're neededn
"If you amt pretty quick piped one girl
faced boy, with pensive smib, as he sat
weakly down on a stone and pressed a delicate
hand over a round red spot that had jlst ap-
peared on the breast of his blouse, you'll
miss all the fun We've about licked em al
ready. OH"
Abe and Kent sprang forward to catch
him, but he was dead almost before they
could reach him. They laid him back ten
derby ON the brown dead leaves, and ran to
regain their places in the ranks.
The regiment was now sweeping around
the last curve between it and the line of bat
tie. The smell of the burning powder that
filed the air, the sight of flowing blood, the
shouts of the fighting men, had awakened in
every bosom that deep-lying killing instinct
inherited from our savage ancestry, which
slumbers-generally wholly unsuspected-in
even the gentlest mans bosom, until some
accident gives it a terrible arousing.
Now the Staying fever burned in every soul
They were marching with long quick strides,
but well closed ranks, elbow touching elbow,
and every movement made with even more
than the accuracy of parade. Harry felt
himself swept forward by current as lie
sistless as that which sets over Niagara
They came around the little hill, and saw a
bank of smoke indicating where the linz of
battle was
Lets finish the canteen now" said Kent
II iiN Ett bOTti ny u bliiltb anu tui IGl uul,
and You know | hate waste
al suppose we might well drink it." as
sented Abe the first time in the history of
the regiment, that he agreed with anybody.
ave may MT be able to do it in ten minutes,
and Ii would be too bad tove lugged that
all the way here, just for some one else {"
drink"
An aide, powder grimcd, but radiant with
joy, dashed up. Colonel, he said, "you had
better 60 into line over in that vacant space
there, and wait for orders; but don't think
you will have anything to do, for the general
believes that the victory is won, and the
Confederates are in full retreat"
=, +" spoke, mighty cheer rolled around
IL, IL of hattie, and band stationed upon
a ro,ii which formed the highest part cf The
mountain, burst forth with the grand strains
of the "Star Spanglcd Banner -
The artillery continued to hurl screaming
shot and shell down into the narrow gorge,
| through which the defeated ConledcrateS
were flying with mad haste.