The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1886-03-31
P[CrUREsD THE WAR

| OtEIUlnx ~ We 0IR 8S 08tlOo Win rest
less and inpatient haste towards wealth
empire as peopleand widening and deep
ening the opportunities for Individual e.
tort. it is seldom We ever stop to think what
it cost to secure the blessings We enjoy.
Let our citizens look around them to-day,
through the length and breadth OF our
great Commonwealth, and, observe the
manifestations OF It's power, and then ex
tend their vision until il embraces the
whole country, and do not their hearts
swell and their thoashts kindle with pride
az they see with what q mighty impulse.
with what giants strides We are hurrying
as 4 people not only to material wealth
and power, but to more enlightenment, to
more libei al and broader culture, and to
the conception OF higher and better forms
| OF duty to our fellow mon. Az we revolvs
the changes OF the last twenty years in our
mind, with the glow Of honest satisfaction
that comes OF contemplation Of the dig.
nifty and power Of The nation, is there not
aD attending recollfetion of the half million
| Of lives it cost to pseaerve these blessings.
| When cur citizens affsAne theircDxy or lux
urions homes witk stf children around
them do they ever think ol tie sslI-aacrifies
that raised little ssSs 81 ua0Qnds along the
| Tennessee and rslf1 fsot OF Lookout
l 0OuAC$1AU 1uu f1H VAcy IU0&90QIO l001E
! wealth and feel thrill of conscious power
| as they gaze upon our vast Industries, do
they ever think OF the heroism that liter.
| ally furrowed Virginia with graves? II q
reveille could be sonnded that would waken
these dead and shaking off their cerements
they were to muster once more what vast
host would answer roll call.
ROLL CALL.
"Roll calll' What flood of recollections
rushes in upon us at the bare mention OF
these simple words. "Fan in for roll call!
What soldier does not remainder this sam
mons as in the early morning it broke in
on his slumbers and dispelled bright visions
with hair disheyeled and unkempt. rubbing
their ha'fopened eyes a, d trying to look
soldierly, the line that stood up 10 the grey
OF the d lwn was q strange. uncouth group,
but often, aye, very often, as the sarReant
al the head OF the l.e called the roll. faces
would suddenly grow earnest and sad, and
big brawny hands brushed away tear as
a name that was wont to be called was
silently passed over. The omission told
story OF death and was mournfully sugges-
tive Of the uncertainty OF our soldier lie.
But what soldier will forget the morning
after fight when the roll WAS allied?
swered Here 30 ioyously7 Where are the
forms that stood up in line in the full tide
OF health and vigor, with the warm blood
OF youth coursing through their veins. with
their hopes 40 high and their resolves 80
strung7 Let us speak of the morning when
Fredericksburg was fought as some vet
eran would tell the story, 1t was bitterly
cold morning in December. The company
formed In line and each man IT the thirty
four answered to bis name promptly and
eartily-thirty-fon OF the one hundred
good, warm-hearted, honest men who had
espoused the Union cause under my com.
charged for Disability, or thus early filed
soldiers graves, their last tattoo sounded
In the thunders Of Bull Run, South Mum.
tain, Antietam and a score Of other fights.
Bronzed, Scared and true. here stood the
remaining thirty fOnr, with eager a nd Anx-
ious hearts awaiting the summons to bat.
tie. Between a. and the enemy floats a
great hank Of shadowy mists that now lift
and kiss the tops o. the ridges AZ i, to die.
cover the foe and ave,.p along husging the
plane to hide him from view. Nervous ques.
tions pass from lip to lip. What are we
going to dn?' VIII Burnside hurl ua right
up against the enemy. or will he tl'"k
them?"
FOHV AHU.
Move forward slowly and silently" is
the thrilling answer t., these queries. For.
ward mea MS right up to those terrible bat
to les that for weeks had been frowning
upOn us. Forward means across broad
plain and up to trenches filed with armed
men, from which will pour deluge Of fire.
Forward means what every soldier in that
army knew, one of the bioodiest and fiercest
conflicts VI the war. Hearts beat more
quickly, yes are aRlow with expectation nd
every voice ia hushed. The jingle OF the equip
ments on the men, the crisp, rosty earth
CT aking beneath our feet, are the only
sounds that break the stiffness. The
murky clouds still linger, as il unwilling to
dispel t le gloom. but gradually the day
unfOlds itself, when the boom II a gun and
the whirr OF shell admonish us that the
dawn has revealed our onward move. How
full OF ecstasy is this moment, full Of hope
and doub: and crowded with visions OF
home, Of dear ones and loved faces. and
flooded with strange sort OF pleas re-, a
kind Of stern delight, that while being thus
environed with dangers has withal a sense
OF power to combat and repel them. You
sigh for something to break the awful
silence. Hark! 'Tis the rumbling OF artil
lery. List! 'Tis the sharp report OF the
skirmishers. Still the silent lines push
steadily on, every nerve strung every
mouth set, and every eye strained to rend
the misty veil that hides the foe.
But the crisis has come at last; a scatter
ing fire OF small arms, and the range OF bills
that skirt the plain are lighted up with the
blaze of fifty guns. A terrible crash, and
fifty shells are shrieking, bursting, plough
ing along. making great bloody gashes in
our ranks. The red gaps are closed, and
forwal d the staggered columns move again,
till a long Fne OF fire. the steady rattle OF
musketry, the music of myriads OF bullets
and the dropping thinning files tells US how
close we are. More loudly thunder the
guns. more quickly and sharply rattles the
musketry until all il lost in one continuous
roar. The earth totters under our feet aud
the hot air brushes our faces, forced back
as it ia by the dreadful conclusion of the
bursting shells. 1t is a very tempest OF
death we meet. How frenzied and mad
seem those guns, as their brazen mouths
ablaze with fire cape right in front OF us.
How merciless ia the leaden storm that
whistles around us, but the trenches ara
reached now and into the startled powder
blackened faces OF the foe deadly volley is
poured. 1t is only the fury OF the tide
flashing the shore ere it turns. The next in.
backward borne. not in diamay and con.
fusion, but slowly. sullenly. while ghastly
red streams mark their D., tn, and the ter
rible ''thud, thud" 1T the bullets as it lodges
in some poor fellows body is heard on
every side. hand grasps our own, and
turning we find q gallant officer OF our
regiment, who by the speechless sgony pic
tured Oh his face asks in palmer terms than
words, what is to be done?" He gets his
answer in volley from the approaching
foe. and as his clutch ioosens Che warm
blood Rushes in crimson current from his
side. quick struggle, gasp and his limbs
stiffen Nth the chill OF death. Look upon |
upon that boyish face upturned to our
Rase the eyes seem yet on fire. the fixed |
mouth is still set with the resOlute will. and |
the hand closed fast on the trusty sword. |
Call the roll now, sergeant. Seventeen men
are missing; seventeen are stretched !
mangled and torn, stiff and stark on yon- |
der b.ood-stained plain, one-half of the |
little company Of the morning are to be |
consigned to their mother earth under |
that white flag OF truce. The brave, good;
big hearted sergeant sobs and chokes as he |
goes over the fatal list, and observe the
left hand holds the little book, from which |
be calls the names. for the right hand is
shattered with q ball-so close was his own |