The National tribune., 1889-04-25
WHEN AGE GROWS YOUNG
Thrilling Description Of the Fighting at Get
fNshnrg.


This romance by Comrade Hyland c. Kirk,
! though not an army story, will be read by sol
diers with special interest, from the lively and
entertaining style in which so profound sub
ject as that of physical life is treated, as well
as from its graphic descriptions of army scenes
Hon. William Warner, Commander of the
| GAR says that every soldier will be interest
ed in Chap. XII (Gettysburg).
! We insert brief extract:
The rising sun of July 3 1863 shone on two
armies but imperfecty refreshed by their nights
rest. Yet no reveille was required to arouse them ;
for, instinctively, each soldier knew the need OF
| waking early. Each knew that the death grapple
might come at any moment
From Culps Hill to the northeast bending
around Cemetery Ridge ending in Round Top
lay our army a half-ooied serpent awaiting the
foe. No less watchful the enemy opposite, stretch
ing along Seminary Ridge and hanking our right
through the village of Gettysburg We held the
place of the dead and they the theological college.
And what better school to teach men how 10 die
than war? Alas, how many had already proved
their training on that field and how tue limits OF
our burial place should by bravery and patriotic
devotion be enlarged that day
The hot July sun has passed the meridian. The
air Is strangely still as the omnous silence preced-
ing the tornado. Behind the hills yonder lie the
descendants of the old cavaliers tigers in uniform,
awaiting the signal. Hotter and brighter shines
the sun. Suddenly two puffs of smoke, two shots
In quick succession the enemy's left, and then,
as though chain of volcanoes were 1pheaving
along the rebel line, bech forth the thunderboits
of I40 cannon.
AS savagely, our guns so in number, reply. All
nature stood aghast as that ponderous storm of
iron swept the hills. The earth Teeled and trem-
bled like drunken thing. Bowlders were rent
trees torn into splinters, jettes of dust sprang
high in the air. Shell and shot of every caiber
plunged by and through lines, whistng,
shrieking, moaning, if hooking the unhappy
cries of dying men and beasts.
! All, 1t was grand! The smoke lay thick and
sulphurous in the valley, the bright flashes
! of the guns shone through, and curling aloft in
heecy clouds, it needed little fancy to descry the
mile of Vy6 tXSiS e.
| light at the awful scene.
But the worst was yet to come.
| There is a lull in the firing, first our side
and then on theirs. Look There is something
moving this way. The smoke lifts. THERE
Seei Two lines of battle more than mile
| in length, with bayonets set, advancing to
| the charge. How grand they look Their
| batteries firing again to cover the move
| ment and our guns are not silenced. Again the
| awful roar of cannon shakes the earth. Shot and
shell from our front and from the left enfilading
| their lines, pierce the smoky envelope in which
they move Yet on they come.
They have reached the Enmittsburg road. Our
! skirmshers have fallen back. And now the Con-
! federate ranks emerge from their cloudy covert
! into open view, but few hundred yards away.
Silently and sternly, as the grim death that awaits
| them, on they come.
They are facing Doubleday's command. No :
! they are veering this way
Arthur" said Daniel, this means life or death
to the Nation''
" And to u.s., said.
81 shall live, though -"
His remaining words were lost to my ear as the
commands of Gen. Gibbons rang out in quick sue
cesson-" Ready, fire! :"
| The sheet of flame that burst from our muskets
! seemed to sweep away the Confederate line like
| chatf. Aud now came the struggle for life; for,
though three f0t,,thS Of their lay dead and dying,
vet fire expended and before could reload
! The second line upon as
| Aud then close conflict ensued which / have
! no power to describe.
! saw Daniel Ritter reel and fall backward press
ing his hands TO his breast, just burning blow
| in the thigh brought me to the ground.
!
There goes Covert, while grasping the Confed-
crate flag But Woodrow has it. Hurrahl They
/ are running. The struggle is ended
looked around. Next TO lay Jim Rider,
dead; beyond .Corp1 Sehaffer, with a CHASTITY
wound in his face; to my right Daniel Ritter,
| breathing heavily and very pale, the blood running
| over his breast, while in front of him lay Harry
Rigging if asleep, his head pillowed on the body
| of a Confederate soldier.
! And thus the narrative goes on, depicting the
changing fortunes of the hero, Daniel Ritter,
| to a very unusual conclusion.