The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1888-11-10
MINE ENEMY.

,d5 ~ s,.1,',,, a'sl, MINE ENEMY, ss, $50
~ -sp haa!svaE III istt .1osgse,ft Z
A Story Of the, Late UApleasantness.- i
- % tn34 ySs.-----y !ispsd.E .En-n,Gg til
pa "''d "tDetroit Free Pfess.l '.''E.a
A battle IL not always whirl Of con-
fusion and uproar, with men firing at
Will or 1T random. Al Fair OAks, " hen
we swept down In the grey of nothing
on CAsey's division, we found two
thirds of II onprepared for our reception.
7 was sergeant il my company, ard, !,
as we began firing, noticed a Federal
sergean, Of my own rank displaying
the utmost energy in railying the men
around him "a check US Some of our
men noticed him Ias we'll, aud TWO or
three called out that ne looked near
enough ike me 10 he II brother. By his
own Individual efforts he rallied enough
men 20 check us temporarily, but after
a few minutes we drove them again
and were In the Federal camps. Then
our lines broke, and each man fought
for himself. ! had singled out the SER:
Resnt and fred twice at him, and |, was
q fact ttat he had also singled me out
and Aired al me alone. We KEEP ad-'
vanctnR slowly, and by and by, as we
crowded them from their Shelters I got
a fair view Of the sergeant. For n mo-
arnent I forgot that there WAS any "l'e
else IN al. that battle I had raised my
guu,, when heswheeied aud raised bis,
and we both fred together. II went
down Ike a log, having iiFeceivel his
bullet in the right shoulder, and for
two hours I hugged the earth beside a
log to escape being hit again by the
missiles Of friend or foe. '.FH'7Yeii at! !
90 When the fury of the battle had pass
ed over 1 was lame and stiff, and, as
the location WIS strange tO me and 1
did not know whether we were stili
advancing or in retreat, could not
make my way of the field. could
not. tell front from rear, nor vas there
one chance In ten Of tndiDg a field
hospital. After pulling myself up and
holding to a tree for few minutes I
felt better aud advanced 10 the spot
where had last seen the Federal SER
geant.H I found him lying on his back.
My bullet had struck him in the side,
and he was fatally hit. ASH knelt
down beside him he recognized me and
said: ''@tfaf"' : if"'. Gil.
II s.You have given me my death
wound" t,-'3 n'F.4 -7.s'.-
a "Bu, you sought to Kali me-" pro.
tested, in extenuation. .''3' ttnf 'a ", =
4 eyes, fired ut you. Some Of the
men said you looked like me-, and i
felt desire 10 XIII you." Ar" l'tif2
' "Let US be friends" said, ash kneit
beside him. III eau use one hand and
arm, and perhaps can stop the bleed
ing" ui
~It is too late !" he whispered.
|, So it was. He had lost great guam
tity. Of blood, and it was still pouring
out and sinking away into the black
soil of the forest. AS my hand touched
his he grasped it and said: - '.....Ji....r
s'We were enemies. Let us be
friends. Give me water" -'...' '..@''" @
y, held my canteen to his lips until
his thirst was satisfied, and then sat
beside him and held his hand and
watched the shadow Of death coming
nearer. lie lay with his eyes closed
for long time, and at last whispered:
7 "Tc!l Mary and the children ! am
coming! - '.... ..... ........ s.s.a. j.
+ MY heart smote me as thought Of
the wife aud children who would
never see him again-of the black pail
of sorrow which would settle down
over a happy household.
"Aud tell father and molber!' ke
gasped. "Have them all come to the
old home to meet me-"
/ And there was fatber-0ud a
mother-and brothers aud sisters!
And my bullet would bring tears and
sobs and walls and mourning. And
the sunshine of life would 60 out of
many hearts for months and years
perhaps forever. I prayed him over
and over to forgive me, and as death
camo nearer dared not look away
from his pale face for fear that I should
meet the accusing glances OF widow
and orphans through the drifting
smoke of battle. AS death finally
came he ciutched my hand with frmcr
grip, looked into my eyes with a last
effort aud family whispered: ,r.r
SIT is war, horrible war! Lit us be
friends God bless Mary and the chill
DIRE" :! 4aIl -.. ---.- ...-t ,.e.
Work on Old River.