The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-11-22


g They sang OF love. and not of fame,
Forgot was Britain's glory.
Each heart recalled a different nameI
But all sang Annie Laurie.
Voice after voice caught up the song,
Until Its tender passion
Rose like an anthem, rich and strong,
Their battles eve confession.
Dear girl. the name he dared not speak,
Yet as the song grew louder,
Something upon the soldiers cheek
Washed of the stain of powder.
"'And Irish NOra's eyes are dim
For a singer dumb and CORY;
And English -atry moUrns for him
Who sang Of Annie Laurie.
"'Sleep, soldiers in your honored rest,
Your truth and valor bearing;
The bTayest are the tenderest,
The loving are the daring
"Perhaps that's love song the Germans are
singing thought Harry, as he paused in re-
peating the lines of the verses given above,
and they are acting over again the scene of
the attack on Sebastopol. ] hope the battle
will turn out as well for US as did that one for
the allied army of the English and French"
DaybTeak came and then sunrise. Harry
had hoped for a clear morning, but his hopes
we're doomed 30 disappointment. During the
previous day the smoke had frequently hung
thickly over the field, at times rendering the
cumbatantS invisible to each other and greatly
hIndering the movements on both sides. All
through that cool and almost frosty night the
smoke hung low over the ground, and as the
sun rose on the morning Of the Sth of March 1t
pierced through a cloud that seemed more
like fog than anything else, and was first yisi-
bic as dull ball of copper, on which the youth
could easily TX his eyes without blinking. The
sun showed itself only a short time and then
the sky became overcast, and for a while 1t
( looked as though the day might be rainy.
We wall now listen to HaTry's account OF the
last days fighting
- / thohght they would begin at daylight,
and so did everybody else; or at any rate,
everybody was ready on our side for the OPEN
ing of the battle. But though we could see the
rebels in strong force right in front of as and
evidently as ready as we were, there was hardly
a shot fired, except by the skirmishers, until
after~6 O'Clock. They left the opening of the
days work to Us, and we didn't 60 about it till
We were good and ready
Gen. Curtis intended the heaviest of the
/ fighting for Gen. Sigels two divisions, as they
/ had suffered least on the day before. The reb-
! els had been busy during the night, and planted
! some Of their batteries on a hill perhaps hun
/ dred feet high, which slOped away to the north,
/ but was quite steep on the face toward u.s. 1t
was very much such position as we had at
! Sugar Greek, where the enemy wisely chose
20 at them, and they were prepared for a vi gOr-
! Gus defense, as they had large masses of sup
porting infantry at the base Of the hill on both
sides and also several pieces of artillery scat
! tered among the infantry.
Under cover of the woods at the edge Of
! the cornfield which lay between US and the
! enemy, Gen. Sigel planted his batteries and
I drew up his infantry and cavalry where they
/ could give efficient support. We wondered why
/ the rebels did not open fire upon him while he
was getting ready, but we learned afterward
that they felt confident Of defeating him when
/ the actual fighting should begin, and besides
/ they were short of artillery ammunition and
wanted to make every shot tell. They argued
/ that if they opened fire the guns would be
withdrawn and they wonld be compelled to
! leave the place, where they had so much advan-
! tage of position, and follow, Us wherever we
/ drew them.
q stood where I could see pretty much all
! that was going on there. and it was certainly a
wonderful picture. The white and withered
stalks Of the corn in the field contrasted sharply
with the dark-blue coats of our men when they
/ advanced from the edge of the wood to the
4 Open ground. and, luckily for Us. the smoke
! blew away q little before o'clock and gave Us
a clear view across the field. We could easily
make out the rebel lines and the positions of
the cannon that were ready to open upon US.
! Our eannoneers stood TO their guns and waited
{
men were evidently doing the same thing, and
on both sides the infantry were prepared for
/ whatever was demanded of it.
1 Gen. Sgel gave the order, and dozen can
| non fired very quickly, one after the other.
Each gunner took sight against tree on the
I hill where the rebel batteries were stationed,
and tried the effect OF his shot upon il. The
first shots were too high, and turn of the
elevating-screw depressed the muzzle of the
gun. The second shot was generally too high,
though with some it proved just right; but
with nearly every gun the third shot was ex-
actly the proper range. Then the aim was
taken at the rebel guns that were just begin
ming to fire, and for nearly two hours there
was an artillery duel, in which the infantry
had little to Go but to look on.
Through their glasses the officers could see
that our FIRE was having terrible effect. Sew
eral Of the rebel cannon were disabled and sent
to the rear Several of our guns were disabled
and retired and their places promptly filed by
others; but somehow the enemy did not seem
to have a reserve TO draw upon. Their fire
slackened, their infantry seemed TO be melting
, away, and through the smoke several of theil
men ran across to our lines and surrendered.
This confirmed what had already beer
reported through our camp. that Gen. McCul
loch had been killed, and also Gen. Mcintosh
/ one of their best officers, and formerly of The
Z Regular Army. They said they had been en-
] death of these Generals had disheartened
l good many of the men; and they were very
short OF provisions and ammunition.
0 We had 80 pieces Of artillery playing OF
= the rebels at one time. They could not re
e spoud with so many and as their artillery fir
! slackened Gen S.gel suddenly ordered some 0
= the guns to change their fire into the ranks 0
d the infantry and cavalry that were waiting ol
4 the enemys fanks ready TO charge US whel
q ordered.
j. The shell, grape and canister tore grea
d sWaths in the crowded ranks and piled u
}. windrows Of dead and wounded No troops eg
V cept the most stolid Asiatics could stand sue
It a FIRE as that. The cavalry aud infantry melte
T away, and the artillery was without suppor
2 A battery Of three guns on an open space
one side Of the hill, aud near the road, becam
troublesome, and the fire of one of our batteriC
,e was turned upon it. Then, as the return fr
l. slackened, the wind blew away the smoke an
n revealed its exact position.
II "'Send a regiment to take that battery
lt said Gen. Sigel 10 one of his staff
Of The honor was given TO the 18th Mo-, an
g as soon as the order was received away the
d dashed for their work. Across the field the
At went at f.ii cnsrge, losing y men killed ou
" right and more than twice that numbt
50 wounded, but not once did they halt Whe
y the rebels saw them coming they rallied se'
he er8l companies of infantry TO the support
s. the battery bat too late TO save it. The char;
-f-.I ~