Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-12-23

eoA. "ou uStu any Douy Out lot OF
mullet heads for officers we'd a. been sent
up here last week, when the weather and
the roads were good, and when we could've
done something. Now our boys'li be licked
before we can get where we can help 'emn
Glen leaned on his musket, and listening to
the deepening roar of the battle, was shaken
by the surge of emotions natural to the
occasion. 1t seemed as if no one could live
through the incessant firing, the sound OF
which rolled down to them. To go up into
It was to deliberately venture into certain
destruction. Memory made vehement pro-
test. He recalled all the pleasant things that
life had In store for him; ali that he could
enjoy and accomplish; all that he might be
to others; all that others might be to him.
Every enjoyment of the past, every happy
| possibility OF the future took on more en-
| trancing roseateness.
Could he give oil this up, and die there on
the mountain top, in this dull, brutal, un-
heroic fashion, in the filthy mud and dreary
rain, with no one to note or care whether he
| acted courageously or otherwisel
| IL did not seem that he was expected To
fling his life away like dumb brute entering
the reeking SHAMELESS. His youth and abili.
ties had been given him for some other pur-
pose. Again palysyins fear and ignoble sell
hshness tugged at his heartstrings, and he
felt all his carefully cultivated resolutions
| weakening.
/ "A sergeant must be left in command of
the men guarding this property said the
colonel 1.-THE captain of Company A will
detail one for that duty
| Capt. Bennett glanced from one to another
OF his five sergeants. Harry's heart gave a
swift leap with hope that he might be ordered
to remain behind. Then the blood crimsonei
his cheeks, for the first time since the sound
OF the firing struck his ears; he felt that every
eye in the company was upon him, and that
| his ignoble desire had been read by all in his
look of expectancy. Shame came to spur up
his faitering will. He set his teeth firmly.
pulled the compton out of his gun and flung
it away disdainfully, as if he would never
| need it again, blew into the muzzle to see if
the tube was clear and wiped off the lock
with fine white handkerchief-on of the
relics of his bygone elegance-which he drew
FIR m the breast Of his blouse.
| "Sergt Glan-Sergt Clancy will remain, u
said the captain, peremptorily. Clancy,
the captain knew, was the only son and sup
| port of q widowed mother
snow, boys" said the colonel in tones that
rang like bugle notes, "the time has come for
us to strike blow for the Union and for the
| fame of the dear old Buckeye state. need not
exhort you to do y6ur duty like men; know
| you too well to think that any such words of
| mine are at all necessary. Forward quick
| time! MARCH,"
| The mountain sides rang with the answer
| ing cheers from thousand Threats.
| The noise of the battle on the distant crest
1 tyQS af rat hyfr nf
regiment after regiment came into position
| and opened fire. The intervals between these
| bursts had disappeared and it had now be-
come steady roar.
| A wild mob came rushing backward from
| the front
"My God, our men are whippedI' exclaimed
| the young adjutant in tones of anguish.
mo, no." said Capt. Bennett with cheer
| full confidence. "Thess are only the camp
| riff-raff, who run whenever so much as q
| cap is burst near them"
| So it proved to be- There were teamsters
| upon their wheel-mules, cooks, officers, SER
wants. both black and white, and civilian en-
ployes, mingled with many men in uniform.
| skulkins from their companies. Those were
mounted who could seize mule anywhere.
| and those who could not were endeavoring to
| riders.
All seemed wild with one LEA: To get as
| far as possible from the terrors raging around
the mountain top They rushed through the
| regiment and disordered its ranks
"Who are you a-shovin', young fellow
say!" demanded Abe Bolton, roughly collar
ing strapping hulk of YOUTH who, hatless
and with his fat cheeks white with fear,
as,,c% T.,:-
steer.
|. "Oh, boys, let me pass, and don't go up there!
Don't! You'll all be killed I know it. I'm
all the one of my company that got away-I
ana, really. All the rest are killed.
"Heavensl what a wretched remnant, as the
dry goods man said when the clerk brought
him niece of selvaga ne all that the h,,rgInrs
had left OF his stock of broadcloth," said
Kent Edwards. Its too bad that you were
allowed % get away, either You're not a
proper selection for a relic at ALL and you
give bad impression Of your company You
ought to have thought of this and staid up
there and got killed and let some better look
ing man got away, that would have done the
company credit. Why didn't you think of
this?n
"Gitl" said Abe, sententiously, with twist
an opportune kick by Kent, sent him sprawl
ing down the bank.
Capt. Bennett" shouted the colonel an
grily, Fix bayonets there in front and drive
these hounds off, or we'll never get there.n
A show of savage looking steel sent the
skulkers down a side path through the
woods.
The tumult of the battle heightened with
ha n A f,,, f,
the winding road brought them to an open
ing in the woods which extended clear to the
summit. Through this the torrent of noise
poured as when powerful band passes the
head of street Down this avenue came
rolling the crash of thousands of muskets
fired with the intense energy Of men in NOR
tai combat, the deeper pulsations of the artil-
lery, and even the fierce yells OF the fighters
as charges were made or repulsed.
Glen felt the blood settle around his heart
anew
"Get out of the road and let tho artillery
pass! Open up there for the artillery
shouted voices from the rear. Everybody
sprang to the side of the road
There came a sound of blows rained upon
the horses bodies-of shouts and oaths from
excited drivers and eager officers--of rushing
wheels and of ironed hoofs striking fire from
the grinding stones. Six long bodied, strong
limbed horses, their hides reeking with sweat,
and their nostrils distended with intense
effort, tore past, snatching after them, as if
it were toy, a cleaning brass cannon, sur
rounded by galloping 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 DIES
perately 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, boysl" 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 neededls
of you amt pretty quick" piped one girl
faced boy, with pensive smile, as he sat
weakly down on stone and pressed delicate
hand over round red spot that had just APP
peared ON the breast of his blouse, ayoull
miss all the fun. We've about licked 'em al
ready. Obi
Abe and Kent sprang forward to catch
him, but be was dead almost before they