Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-03-08
BOYS IN BATTLE.
AN EN-CoNFEDERArE CADETS
STORY OF THE WAR.
Graphic Account of nm Ensagcmcnt
In Which Finy-Six OF of
22o Cadets Wcro Killed
Charging n Battery.


and General Henry A. Wise, of Vir.
ginia, contributes to the Century some of
his "reminiscences of life as cadet at
"The West Point of the Confcde.acy,
and gives vivid account OF BOYS in
Dattlc ut New Market, an engagement in
which iifiy-siX of the boys out of u corps
of 225 Were killed: up to this time |
was still corporal of the guard, in charge
OF the baggage wagon, with a detail of
three men, Redwood, Standard and
Woodlicf. We had not been rel eyed. in
the general hustle and confusion. My
orders were TO remain with the wagons
Mt the bend in the pike, unless our
forces were driven buck: in which case
we were to retro to n point of safety.
When it became evident that battle
was imminent, II single thought took
possession Of me, and that was, that
J would never be able to look my
father in the face again if l sat on a
Daggage-wagon while my command was
10 its first, perhaps its only, engagement.
lie was grim old tighter, at That mo-
mcnt commanding ut Petersburg, and q
month later fighting at odds against
Badly Smith until Lee could come up.
He had u tongue of satire and ridiculc
like lash OF scorpions. had nearly
worried him out Of his life with applica-
tions to leave the Institute and enter the
army. If. now that had the oppor-
tunity, should fail to take part in the
fight, knew what was in store for me.
Napoleon in Egypt pointed to the Pyra-
mids and told his soldiers that from
their heights forty centuries looked
down upon them. My Grafton, delivered
from the baggage wagon, was not so Gle
waited in tone, but equally emphatic. 1t
ran about this wise: Boys, the enemy
is i'll our front. Our commln is about
to go into action. | like lighting no
better than anybody else ! ut have
an enemy in my rear rs dreadful rs any
before us. If return home and tell my
tather that was on the baggage guard
when my comrades were fighting, know
my fate. He will kill me with worse
than i.ulicts-ridiculc. shall ioin the
command forthwith. Any one who
chooses to remain may do So All the
guard followed. The wagon was left in
charge of the black driver OF the four
who thus went, one was killed, and two
were wounded.
I'VE rcjoincd the battalion as it
marched by the left flank from tho pike.
Moving ut double quick, we were in an
instant i'll line Of bnttle, our right near
the turnpike kissing ground in our i'm
mediate front concealed us from the
enemy. The command was given TO
strip for action. napsacks, blankets,
everything but guns, cantccns, aud cart
ridge boxes were thrown down upon
the ground. Our boys were silent then
Every lip was tightly drawn, every
check was pale; but not with fear. With
Il peculiar nervous jerk we pulled our
cartr dye boxes round to the front and
frightened our belts. Whistling riled-
shell screamed over us rs, tipping the
hill-crest in our own front, they bounded
over our heads. Across the pike to our
right Pattons brigade was lying down,
abreast of us. At-tcn- ton-n-n! Battal :
ion forward Guide Ccntcr-r.rr .
shouted Ship, and or we started. At
that moment, from the left of the lire,
sprang Sergeant Ma or Woodbridge, and
posted himself forty PAGES i'll front of
The colors as directing guide. Brave
Evans, standing over six feet two, un-
furlcd our colors that for days
had hung limp and bcdraggled
about the staff, and every ca
let in the Institute lcapcd forward,
dressing TO the ensign, clate and thrill
ing with the consciousness that this is
war" We reached the Interest in our
front, where we were abreast of cur
smoking battery and in full sight and
'angc ol the enemy. We were pressing
:oward him at arms port with the
light tripping gait Of the French infan-
Try. The enemy had obtained our range,
md began to drop his shell under our
loses ong the slope. Echoss brigade
'osc up and were charging on our right
with the rebel yell.
Woodbridge, who was holding his
position rs directing sergeant, was or
Tered to resume his place in the line.
Clown the green slope we went, an
'wcring the wild cry of our comrades as
.hcir muskctry ratified out its opening
,olleys. In another moment we should
expect a pelting rain of lead from the
blue line crouching behind the stone
wall at the lane. Then anne sound
more stunning than thunder, that
burst directly in my face; lightnings
leaped fire frshcd; the earth rocked {;
the sky whiricd around. aud stumbled.
My gun pitched forward and fell upon
my knees. Sc gcnnt Cabell looked back
1t ne sternly, pityingly, and called out
Close up, men, rs he passed on.
81 knew no more. When conscious
ness returned it was raining in torrents.
was lying on the ground, which all
about was torn and plowcd with shell
which were still screcching in the air
end bounding on the earth.
"Poor little Captain Hill of 60 com.
pany, was lying near. bnthcd in blood.
with fearful cash over tie temple. and
was gasping like dying fish. Read,
Merritt and another, also badly shot,
were near Mt hand.
"The battalion was three hundred
yards away, cloudcd in smoke and holly
engaged. They had crossed the lane
The enemy held, and the Federal battery
in the graveyard had fallen hack to the
high ground beyond How came they
thercr thought, and 'Why am here p
Then saw that was bleeding from q
deep and ugly cash in my head. That
viilainous Ri ed shell that burst in our
faces brought five of us to the ground.
'Hnrrah! | though. youths dream is
realized at last. I've got a wound and
am not dead yetn And so. realizing the
savory truth, another moment found me
on nv feet trild srinp olnno m tho ho,