The Springdale news., 1889-07-26
CHAPTER XVI.
A DAY OF DEATH AND CARNAGE.

CHAPTER XVI
 DAY OF DEATH AND CARNAGE.
 Fall in, fall n.' officers were crying all along the line, and III response men were everywhere springing into ranks.
 "Is it an attack or a skirmish" Luke, who was still somewhat bewildered at his sudden awakening, asked of some of his staff.
 Its Beauregard and Johnston's whole armies" replied the Major, who at this moment was hurrying by.
 The forest where Luke was quartered was almost devoid of underbrus The spring was little backward and the leaves were not much larger than squirrels ears, while on many of the trees the buds were either only swollen or just bursted, so that there was little to Ob- struct their view. The trees were turned q faint green by the young leaves and tender buds, and the earth had also received a light coat of ermine from the paint-brush of spring. A fourth of mile in their front was what had once been a field, though every remnant of fence had disappeared. A few white denuded snags and trees reared their pale forms into the air and extended q ghost-lke arm to the sky
 The first thing Luke saw after coming out of his tent was a body Of Union soldiers running toward them across the old held He also noted that the sun was just rising, for the bare arms of the old snags were here and there tipped with fire. Beyond the rctreatng soldiers was the roar of fire arms and the yell of the enemy, winch every moment drew nearer.
 Colonel Mason found his horse ready sad died, and mounting had started along his fyix- hto hoe incr ton, when he met General Prentss.
 ''Is every man in line, Co!onelp' the Gen. eral cried
 II think so."
 wen need them"
 its q general attack, thenN
 "Yes"
 A shell thrown by the enemy came whizzing and shriekng through the air, clipping off great branches of trees as If they had been tender twigs. It exploded in the air few rods to the rear of General Prcntiss and his staff
 Its no sham" said the General, coolly. If it was intended as a ruse they wouldn't be sending such metal as that among us"
 Loud shouts !yere- beard on the left, fol. lowed by the galloping of horses and thun. der of wheels, and turning his eyes in that direction Luke saw three batteries coming up and unlImberlng
 General Prentiss galloped away to give personal directions to the gunners, leaving Luke alone with his regiment.
 "Be brave; the day depends on you Re. member your homes, your country, and let every soldier do his duty," shouted Colonel Mason, gallOpng along his line.
 The mass of fleeing soldiers proved to be a part of Colonel Dave Moore's regiment, which General Prenuss had sent out carly in the morning to recOnnoiter They had gone until they struck the main line Of the escmy, and were hurled backward like chaff before q whirlwind, bringing their wounded Colonel with them. Several thou sand skirmishers had been hastily deployed to cover their retreat These were forced back, reinforced, and still driven back, until they struck the man line of battle and threw 1t into momentary confusion. on cers were now seen galloping up and down their lines encouraging thelr men by words and acts
 But down upon them like an avalanche or some tremendous oncomng thunder storm, the resistless horde of rebels poured.
 Steady! steady steady boys Re member the old nag!n erred Colonel Mason
 Whiz, whiz, zip zip! come the bullets all about him, and now and then the branches and young foliage from the trees, cut by the speeding shots, fell on the heads of the sol diers. One poor fellow who was standing Tn his ranks suddenly clasped his hand over his heart and wilted down like a suddenly clipped flower. Another seized his leg in his hands and hopped away to the rear
 It was one of the most trying times of the entire day; but the line still presented an almost unbroken front Two regiments had fled entirely, and there were thousands oi skulkers from others hastenng to the rlv- CT, but still the rebels found solid front when they came.
 Colonel Mason urged upon his men the necessity of holding their fire until the enc my were near enough to make it effective, but when the bullets fell like hail among them most of them began to return it. The Colonel's horse reared, plunged into the air and fell dead. The rider was in a moment on his feet
 The whole line was now a sheet of flame and column of smoke Some one brought him another horse, which he mounted and took up hls position at the rear of his regi- mcnt few rods away to watch their maneuvers. Men were falling, and the en.
 
 smoke, while the rebel horde was pressing on with resistless fury. A shell exploded at the feet of the Coloncrs horse, and the poor beast sank dying to the earth He sprang from the saddle, and one of his stan brought him another steed
 While galloping down the line sword in hand grape shot struck the blade, break ing it of close to the hilt. Crash upon crash of cannon was added to the continuous roar of small arms, and the air became thick with smoke. The ground was literally GOV cred with dead and dying. For awhile they tried to carry the dead and wounded to the rear, but so closely were they pressed that they were forced to give up the plan. Again was Lukes horse killed under him.
 The rebels charged His men were fall ing back, and he dashed forward to make a stand if possible. A shell exploded but few paces away and five or six of his men fell from it. His Lieutenant-C Colonel lay wounded on the field and the Major was killed so their duties devolved upon himself and staff
 lTo BE CoNTINUED.l
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