The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1889-07-26
CHAPTER XVI.
A DAY OF DEATH AND CARNAGE


Johnston's whole army is upon u.s."
| CHAPTER XVI
DAY OF DEATH AND CARNAGE
"Fall in! fall inl' officers were crying
all along the line, and IN response men wer,
everywhere springing into ranks.
"Is it an attack or skirmish!" Luke
who was still somewhat bewildered at hi
sudden awakening, asked of some of hi
staff.
ats Beauregard and Johnston's whole
armies" replied the Major, who at thi.
moment was hurrying by.
| The forest where Luke was ouarteret
was almost devoid of underbrush. Tn,
spring was little backward and the leave.
ixere not much larger than squirrels ears
while on many OF the trees tb'
buds were either only swollen OF
| just bursted. so that there was little to OBJ
struct their view. The trees were turned
faint green by the young leaves and tender
buds, and the earth had also received {
| light coat of ermine from the paint-brush Of
spring. A fourth of a mile in their from
was what had once been field, though
every remnant of fence had disappeared. A
| few white denuded snags and trees reared
their pale forms into the air and extended
| a ghost-like 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 retreating soldiers was the roar of fire
| arms and the yell of the enemy, which every
moment drew nearer.
Colonel Mason found his horse ready sad.
died, and mounting. had started along his
| line to give his regiment a hasty inspec
| ton, when he met General Prentlss
us every man in line, Colonelm the Gen.
eral cried.
81 think so.'
We'll need them"
ats general attack, thenr
"Yes"
A shell thrown by the enemy came
whizzing and shrieking through the air,
| clipping off great branches of trees as If
| they had been tender twigs. 1t exploded in
the air few rods to the rear of General
Prentiss and his staff
''It's no sham" said the General, coolly
''lf it was intended as a ruse they wouldn't
be sending such metal as that among us
Loud shouts were heard 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 comm q
up and Numbering
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, galloping along his line.
The mass of fleeing soldiers proved to be
a part of Colonel Dave Moore's regiment,
which General Prentlss had sent out early
in the morning to reconnoiter. They had
gone until they struck the maiE line of the
enemy, and were hurled backward like
chat before a whirlwind, bringing their
wounded Colonel with them. Several thou
sand skirmishers had been hastily deployed
to cover their retreat. Thsss were forced
back, reinforced, and still driven back,
until they struck the main line of battle and
threw it into momentary confusion. Off.
GERS We're now seen galloping up and down
their lines encouraging their men by words
and acts.
But down upon them like an avalanche,
or some tremendous oncoming thunder
storm, the resistless horde Of rebels
poured.
"Steady! steady steady! boysl Re
member the old tiag!" cried 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
in 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 hoped away to the rear.
1t 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 of
skulkers from others fastening to the nv
err, but still the rebels found solid front
when they came.
Colonel Mason urged upon his men the
necessity of holding their fire until the ene-
my We're near enough TO make it effective,
but when the bullets fell like hail among
them most of them began to return it. The
Coloners horse reared, plunged into the air
and fell dead. The rider was in a moment
on his feet.
The whole line was now sheet of flame
and column Of smoke. Some one brought
him another horse, which he mounted and
took up his position at the rear of his regi-
ment a few rods away to watch their
maneuvers. Men were falling, and the en-
tire line was now enwrapped in flame and
smoke, while the rebel horde was pressing
on with resistless fury. A shell exploded
at the feet of the Coloners horse, and the
poor beast sank dying to the earth He
sprang from the saddle, and one Of his staff
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 COW
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 Luke's horse killed
under him.
The rebels charged. His men were fall
ing back, and he dashed forward to make
stand if possible. A shell exploded but a
few PAGES away and five or six of his men
fell from it His aforementioned Law
wounded on the field and the
Major was killed, so their duties devolvei
upon himself and staff.
ITO BE CONTINUED.