Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-06-20


: The attacking army at last began to ad
vance in two long lines extending throu gt
a part OF the corn-held and the tall bottom
grass. The fog rapidly rolled away, anG
the FURNISHED arms of the blze-coats gilt
tered with dazzling brightness in the morn
ing sun.
| Before the foot of the hill was reached a
halt was made and skirmishers deployed
Captain Mason with his entire company
was thrown forward upon the skirmist
line He first deployed in platoons, then
in fours, and finally placed each man a rod
from any Of the others
All was quiet A peculiar solemn hush
seemed to have fallen over the scene,
broken only by the crushing tread of some
soldier making his way through the tangled
thicket- Luke began to half believe that
the enemy had deserted the camp.
A crcw, cawing loudly, was soaring above
the tree tops, doubtless annoyed by the
presence OF the advancing warriors. A
blue jay chirped and screamed as it fitted
from bush TO bush and tree in front of the
advancing skirmish line.
Luke was pressing his way through an
almost impenetrable jungle when a shot
rang out on his left. 1t was the first sound
of an enemy. The men had really began to
secretly hope that they worid find the camp
deserted. For single instas1t the heart of
the youthful Captain beat faster, while the
blood forsook his cheek.
| Bangl Dangi bangl three mora shots in
quick succession on the left pronounced the
skirmish as begun. And now the music be-
| gins on the right First, half dozea shots
| lead off, followed by score, and then a
hundred. The crow and blue jay fly away,
1 nd co1Iiar for cot
! than prudent, pressed forward.
| Luke strained his eyes for glimpse CT ties
\ enemy, and was at last rewarded by dark
object moving about among the leaves.
Whether one man or score he knew not,
for the bushes almost completely concealed
| them.
The ball opened in front, and fire, smoke
and leaden hail were poured in upon the GEN.
ter of the Union skirmish line. The soldiers
stood their ground and fought with wonder
full desperation and coolness.
"Why don't they reinforce u.s." cried
Lieutenant Smith. "We're ightih' hull
army
A few moments 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 flew 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 Lul1e's right was killed,
one on the left fell mortally wounded,
Lieutenant Smith received a shot in his
arm and retired to the rear, Corporal Max
was knocked down by a spent ball, and for o
few moments the young Captain seemed to
stand alone before the enemy.
"Cap, 1 be cussed eff we hain't got tor
git out o. this cried old Arkansaw Tom,
coming up at this moment. "We're fightin'
line o. battle"
Luke had realized this some moments be-
fore, but had held his ground hoping soon
to be reinforced The fire was so heavy
that the soldiers had begun to fly.
"Come on, Cap; fur Gods sake don1
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 tho
old scouts request Confederate officer
followed by half dozen men ran forward,
shouting:
Surrender or dep
"Not by jugful," yelled Arkansaw Ton.
and quick as flash he brought his gun to his
shoulder and leveled 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 harmlessiy
through the air.
"Dod burn it, what d We do thet fur?'
"Fly for your ife," shouted Luke, push
ing the scout down the hill and starting
after HIM. But a black object behind tree
arrested his attention. 1t was that mys-
terious old negro, Blackhawk, who had
been a puzzle to him from childhood.
Blackhawk had got away from the boat,
found gun and came to fight. He was
kneeling behind tree, his gun leveled at
the young Confederate whose life Luke had
saved.
''You black scoundrel, dare you fire and
will run you through" shouted Luke, plac-
ing the point of his sword against the
negro's breast.
"He's a Reb, massa, an rs fightin' ter
free my POI wife an little baby"
''But he was a good master to you, and
if you harm him l will kill you" He
snatched the negro's gun from his hand
and hurled him down the hill.
They had not gone far before they met the
advancing lines of the Federal army, and
the skrmishers 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 q
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-
tangled, went to help extricate him, but he
had 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 i'm
petuosity that after q brief but desperate
struggle they broke and fed. A moment
later the stars and bars were run down,
and the stars and stripes mounted into their
place.
The batteries at Columbus commanded
the position, and General Grant knew he
could not long hold the camp. The only
thing that had protected the Union forces
from showers of shot and shell was the
fear the Confederate gunners 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