The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1886-04-24
A FhIR-FACRD SOLDIER.

The din and roar and crash of battle
was about me. Stonewall jackson had
come through Browns gap from the
Shenandoah valley, and the blow pre-
pared for Mcclellan had been struck at
Gaines Mill. 1t was the first fight my
regiment had participated in. We were
posted near the foot of wooded slope.
having a light breastwork of logs and
limbs in front of us, and for half an
hour we had nothing to DO but listen to
the horrible din. Pretty soon the smoke
drove down until we could see neither
to the right nor left, but there was a
pretty fair view directly in our front.
| remember as if it were but yester-
day. Most of us were boys, and while
we tried to be stout-hearted our faces
grew white, and fear kept up constant
struggle with pride. Below us ran a
bush .fringed creek; beyond that was
clear ground for about twenty rods ;then
came the heavy forest in which the
Confederates were massing TO hurl
themselves against our particular posi-
ton. Above us, further up the hill, our
cannon were throwing shot and shell
into the wood with awful crash, and to
the right and left we could hear the
fierce cheers of charging men. 1t was
awful to lie in this place amid such el-
element, but our turn came.
A cheer which for a moment rose
above all other sounds came from the
woods in front. Then a line of battle
with regimcntal front broke cover at
double quick. 1t was followed by an
other and another, until the space be-
tween the creek and the forest was filled
with advancing men. Now the artillery
above us redoubled its fire, ami the
scream of grape and canister over our
heads was terrifying. | could not hear
any of the orders given by our officers,
but as the men on either side of me be-
gan firing, followed suit. Seven out
of every ten of our bullets must have
killed or wounded, fired into such a
solid mass. The first line melted away
before it reached the creek. The second
Jared but little better, but on came a
third and fourth and fifth, cheering and
firing, and while | was loading for the
fifth time, / saw Confederates forming
81 nf hs .
our works. The artillery could not be
depressed to reach them, and our mus
kerry fire had slackened off somewhat.
The line of gray charged up the hill,
and right in front of me saw fair
faced lad of II or is. His blue eyes
were flashing; his teeth hard shut; his
face as white as death. The line halt
ed on the other side of our breastwork,
and now men fired into each others
faces, leveled my musket full at the
breast of the fair-faced boy. He was so
near that his eyes looked into mine, and
his musket was unloaded. There was
an appeal for mercy in his eyes as they
first met mine, but second later there
came a look of proud defiance, and he
clubbed his musket and struck at me
across the logs. He stood almost
alone. 1t seemed like murder to fire at
him, but war is murder. The powder
flame jumped into his face as pulled
the trigger, and then our line rose up
and cheered again and again, We had
driven the gray lines back. l did not
cheer. l felt the guilt of a murderer.
In some Georgia home a mother would
sob and weep, father would curse me,
brothers and sisters would grieve and
refuse to be comforted. Other men
looked over the breastworks and cheered
again. Ny victim was there; l dared
not look. 80
Our position was TOD strong Do be
carried, but we were faDl,el On the right
ani .eft aod compelled 20 isN back, ln1