The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1888-07-26

became the order or the day. Gen. Howard
ordered the cavalry leader, Buford, to ad-
vance out on the plain and hold on to the last
to cover the retreat. Rising in his stirrups,
with the usual army oath, Buford cried:
"What Is there to hang on tori The troopS
were rushing back to the town, followed by
the enemy on two sides. The cavalry rode
out into the throng, the line surged past them
and they faced the men in gray, who formed
squares to receive them, according to the
manual. Such scene was a novel one, except
on paper, but the squares won the day. Bull
lets, shells and solid shot broke the force of a
handful of horsemen before they could reach
their enemy, and nothing could save the field
50 bravely contested. What scenes followedl
BATTLEFIELD EXPERIENCES.
Soldiers who had been hit at the front were
few took refuge in the houses and others hid
outside. Gen. Schimmelpfennig himself
escaped capture by hiding in a wood pile,
and Joined his division after three days of
battle. Among the sad stories of this terrible
hour is that Of Sergt Hummiston, of the
One Hundred and Fifty-fourth New York
regiment, Coster's brigade, of the Eleventh
corps. This brigade was detached from
Steinwehr's division that remained on the
heights to hold them while the battle ragged
beyond, and when the front line began to re-
the movement. He had to fight for right of
way, and one victim of the melee in the
streets was Hummiston. He was found dead,
clasping the picture of three children There
was no mark OF identity ON his person, but
the picture was photographed, and thousands
Of copies were circulated in the army, and
the children were traced by them to their
home in Cattaraugus county, N. Y. Such is
the price of a nations glory-death claiming
the noblest Of her sons, and households filed
with lamentations.
As might be supposed, there were other
sides to the picture, for war, with all its ter
rors, is not wholly tragic.
When order and confidence were fully re.
stored on the heights Of Cemetery Ridge,
where the discounted soldiers of Reynolds
and Howard found themselves at nightfall,
there was another army anxious, not to say
desperate, on this same question Of rations.
1t had been an all day march and fight, and
not a man had tasted warm meal. Fires
were kindled and the kettles were soon send
ing out savory odors. On the northwestern
slope of Cemetery Hill party Of First corps
officers stood chatting near the fire where
their mess cook was hustling round to set
out their supper. The stew was ready, the
pack horse stood patiently while the cook
drew out the service and spread it on the
ground. A Confederate shell from the ridge
near the seminary came searching target
along the line Of the Baltimore pike, and
taking short cut landed under the souI
kettle, hosting that and all its contents II
the air and blowing the pack horse and hi
luggage into litter that it taxed the cool
some hours to separate and identify.
The crest of Cemetery Hill commanded {
view of the entire field, and the sights a
they presented themselves at nightfall ar
told by an officer on the field. He says
''The scene from the crest Of this hill on tha
eventful eve as the sun went down in hi
summer splendor will meyer be forgotten
Tie number and disposition of the enemySs
troops betokened the renewal Of the battle
with increasing fury on the morrow. Burn
ing buildings met the eye in every direction;
flying, panic stricken families were hasten
ing along the roads leading out Of 0ettys-