The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1889-12-06


cloud, six answering clouds rolled up
ward from among the trees about the
plantation house, q deep multiple report
roared back like a broken echo, and
thenceforth to the end the Federal can
noniers fought their hopeless battle in
an atmosphere of living iron, whose
thoughts were lightnings and whose
deeds were death.
Unwilling to see the efforts which he
could not aid and the slaughter which
he could not stay, the colonel had as
cended the ridge quarter of q mile
to the left, whence the notch, itself in
visible, but pushing up successive masses
of smoke, seemed the crater of volcano
in laundering eruption. With his glass
he watched the enemy's guns, noting as
he could the effects of Coulter's fire-if
Coulter still lived to direct it. He saw
..::S Federal gunners, ignoring the enc
mys pieces, whose position could be
determined by their smoke only, gave
their whole attention to the one which
maintained its place in the open-the
lawn in front of the house, with which it
was accurately In line. Over and about
that hardy piece the shells exploded at
intervals of few seconds. Some ex-
ploded in the house, as could be seen by
thin ascensions of smoke from the
preached roof. Figures of PROSTATE men
and horses were plainly visible.
''If our fellows are doing such good
work with a single gun" said the col
onel to an aide who happened to be
nearest, "they must be suffering like the
devil from six. Go down and present
the commander of that piece with my
congratulations on the accuracy of his
fire."
Turning to his adjutant he said: 'Did
you observe Coulter's damned reluctance
to obey orders?"
"Yes, sir, did"
"Well, say nothing about it, please.
don't think the general will care to make
any accusations. He will probably have
enough to do in explaining his own con-
nection with this uncommon way of
amusing the rear guard of q retreating
enemy"
Colonel, said the adjutant, ''I don't
know that 1 ought to say anything, but
there is something wrong in all this. Do
you happen to know that Capt. Coulter
is from the south?"
''No; was he, indeed?"
81 heard that last summer the division
which the general then commanded was
in the vicinity of Coulter's home
camped there for weeks and'-
'Listen!' said the colonel, interrupt
ing with an upward gesture. ''Do you
hear that?"
''That'' was the silence of the Federal
gun. The staff, the orderlies, the lines
of infantry behind the crest, all had
"heard," and were looking curiously in
the direction of the crater, whence no
smoke now ascended except desultory
cloudlets from the enemy's shells. Then
came the blare of bugle, a faint rattle
of wheels; a minute later the sharp re-
ports recommended with double activity.
The demolished gun had been replaced
with a sound one.
eyes," said the adjutant, resuming
his narrative, "the general made the ac-
quaintance Of Coulters family. There
was trouble-I don't know the exact
nature of it-something about Coulter's
wife. She is q red-hot secessionist, as
they al are, except Coulter himself, but
she is a good wife and high-bred lady.
There was a complaint to army head
quarters. The general was transferred
to his division. 1t is odd that Coulter's
battery should afterward have been as
signed to it"
The colonel had risen from the rock
upon which they had been sitting. His
eyes were blazing with a generous indig-
nation.
'See here, Morrison" said he, looking
the gossiping officer stSaight in the face,
"did you get the story from a gentleman
or liar?'
81 don't want to say how I got it,
colonel, unless it is necessary"-he was
blushing tritie-"but I'll stake my life
upon its truth, in the main"
The colonel turned toward a small
knot of officers some distance away.
Lieutenant Williams!' he shouted.
One of the officers detached himself
from the group, and, coming forward,
saluted, saying: pardon me, colonel,
thought you had been informed. Will
Jams is dead down there by the gun.
What can do, sir?'
Lieut.. Williams was the aide who had
had the pleasure Of conveying to the Of
ficer in charge of the gun his brigade
commanders congratulations.
$50" said the colonel, "and direct the
withdrawal of that gun instantly. Hold!
I'll go myself"
He strobe down the declivity toward
the rear of the notch at a break-neck
pace, over rocks and through brambles,
followed by his little retinue in tumult-
uous disorder. At the foot of the de-
clivity they mounted their waiting ami
mails and took to the road at lively
trot round a bend and into the notch.
The spectacle which they encountered
there was appalling.
Within that defile, barely broad enough
for single gun, were piled the wrecks
of no fewer than four-they had noticed
the silencing of only the last one dis
abled. The debris lay on both sides of
the road; the men had managed to keep
an open way between, through which
the fifth piece was now firing. The
men? They looked like demons of the
pitt All We're hatless, all stripped to
the waist, their reeking skins black with
blotches and spattered with gouts of
blood. They worked like madmen, with
rammer and cartridge, lever and Ian
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