The Irish standard., 1889-05-04


object moving about among the leaves.
| Whether one man or score he knew not,
for the bushes almost completely concealed
them.
The bali opened in front, and fire, smoke
and leaden hail were poured in upon the CEN
ter of the Union skir1nish line. The soldiers
stood theif ground and fought with wonder
full desperation and coolness,
"Why don't they reinforce u.s." cried
Lieutenant Smith. s;We're fghtin' hull
! army"
a. few tncenenSs later the skirmishers
were reinforced, and gallantly pressed for
ward, pushing the Confederates back two
hundred PAGES or more up the hill, where
they made another stand.
A roar OF musketry met the advancing
skirmish line, and the woods seemed alive
with leaping flames. The bark dew from
the shattered trees, limbs, tWigs and leaves
fell in showers, and bullets whistled like
rain about the ears of the soldiers
The man on Luke's right was killed,
one on the left fell mortally wounded,
Lieutenant Smith received shot in his
arm and retired to the rear, Corporal Max
was knocked down by spent ball, and for a
few moments the young Captain seemed 70
stand alone before the enemy.
soap, I be cussed ef we iain't got ter
git cut o. this" cried old Arkansaw Tom,
coming up at this moment. "We're fghtin'
line o. battle"
Luke had realized this some moments be-
fore, but had held h1s ground hoping soon
to be reinforced. The fire was 30 heavy
that the soldiers had begun to fly.
"Come on, Cap; fur Gods sake don't
stand thar n be killed." cried old Tom,
seizing his arm and trying to drag him
away. The dense smoke Of battle had
settled about among the woods, rendering
objects invisible twenty PAGES away.
AS Luke was about to comply with the
cid scouts request Confederate officer
followed by half dozen men ran forward,
shouting:
Surrender or diep'
"Not by a iugful," yelled Arkansaw Tom,
end quick as flash be brought his gun to his
shoulder and leyeled it at his heart.
But just as his finger pressed the trigger
Luke struck up the gun with his sword
and sent the bullet flying harmlessly
through the air.
"Dod b,rn it, what d We do thet fur2''
"F)y for your life," shouted Luke, push
ing the scout down the hill and starting
after him. But black object behind q tree
arrested his attention II was that 1nys-
terious old negro, Blackhawk, who had
been q puzzle to hin, from childhood
Blackhawk had got away from the boat,
found gun and came to fight. He was
kneeling behind a tree, his gun leveled at
the young Confederate whose life Luke had
saved.
ssYou black scoundrel, dare you fire aud
will run you through shouted Luke, plac-
ing the point Of his sword against the
negro's breast.
s'He's:a Reb, massa, an rs Aghtin' ter
free my po' wife an little baby"
"But he was a good master to you, and
if you harm him will kill you" He
snatched the negro's gun from his hand
end hurled him down the hill
They had not gone far before they met the
advancing lines of the Federal arrny, and
the skirmishers quickly fell into place and
all pressed gallantly up the eminence
through the felled timber. The terrible
thunder OF contending armies made the
woods tremble. The Federals passed over
the abattis of fallen trees, though many a
gallant soldier laid down his life in the
effort. Luke saw Eddie Reed, one Of his
company, lying with his body in the fork Of
fallen tree, and supposing he was en-
G3uElcu, WC3lb W uSlp 1CdGe Duo AO
had a bullet in his heart and was dead.
The Union forces drove back the rebel
lines before them. AS soon as the cleared
space around the camp was gained, a
charge was ordered, and terrible hand to
hand fight ensued. The Confederates
numbered eight thousand, but General
Grants forces fell upon them with such lra-
petuosity that after brief but desperate
AoH A
later the stars and bars were run down,
place.
The batteries at Columbus commanded
the position, and General Grant knew he
could rot long hold the camp The only
thing that had protected the Union forces
from showers of shot and she'll was the
fear the Confederate gunrers had of kill
ing their own friends, for the blues and
grays were so mixed up that it was rather
difficult to tell friend from foe.
Driven from their camp, the rebels fed
down under the hill. The Union soldiers,
flushed with victory, became wild Hither
and thither, helter- skelter, they went re-
gardless of military discipline, and SEEM
ing more like madmen than soldiers, They
plundered and burned the camp and
cheered until they were hoarse. In vain
did General Grant try to get them back to
the transports They seemed bent only
upon the destruction Of the enemy's prop
erty.
"Fo7m yer men," yelled Colonel Smart,
growing white with fury.
"Fan in-fall in,' cried Captain Mason,
'Hurrah fur the stars and stripes;
we're the boys that licked the Johnnies!"
yelled Corporal Max, but short distance
away, swinging an officers iquor-case over
his head.
"Fan in-Max, fall In" Not over half
dozen men in Luke's company were yet in
line, the others running about the camp.
A scene of confusion ensued. OfEeefs
frantically swearing. and here and there
dragging soldier to his position, while the
men seemed to have lost their wits and
were whooping and shouting like nadmen.
A white puff Of smoke curied up from one
of the batteries at Columbus and shell
came circling through the air. 1t exploded
near the camp and brought the soldiers to