Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1889-05-16
Copyrighted, 1881


Luke halted III corniield below a house
TO reconnoiter. His forces extended on
either side of him and but three or four
men were in sight the old farm house on
| his right had peaceful, quiet and home
| like look The great dark-green stalks OF
| corn rose up on every side, the blades and
rich stalks forming a jungle impenetrable
| TO the eve Busy bees were drowsily hum
| ming about from vine to vine, among the
| corn or lighting on the heavy pods of full,
| ripe beans. sunhower turned its bold
face TO the king of light, and shred OF gold
upon the tall stalk marks where butterfly
| fingers unconscious of danger The lambs
are bleating in the far-off pastures, and the
| gentle lowing of cattle on the distant hills
| reaches the ear of the soldier, and seem
maddening when he contemplates what is
soon to follow.
There are no signs of carnage, but every
| thing betokens the peace and repose of q
| delightful Sabbath morn. Luke moves on
| from. the cornfield into a peach orchard.
| The trees seem groaning under their bur
den of luscious fruit. He could not resist
| the temptation to pick up one of the great
ripe peaches which fell at his feet and eat
| it.
| Their line, which is now visible some dis.
lance either way, he was glad to see was
unbroken. The hungry soldiers were de.
vouring the peaches, many of them proba-
bly, taking their last meal.
A white puff OF smoke issued from the
fence below the orchard. The enemy has
at last been found Another, another, and
another shot rang out.
STEADY, don't shoot until you see your
man, cried the Captain. The firing
1 seemed to come from bunch of tall weeds
| and grass down under the hill Steadily
the line of skirmishers crawled forward
straining their eyes for sight of the enc
| my. fifth shot, and the bullet whizzine
| through the branches of the tree above
Luke's head brought down half dozen
rosy-cheeked peaches and a shower OF
leaves Luke knew the shot was aimed al
| him.
II see the skunk who shot at you, Cap. u
said Arkansaw Tom, who was but q few
feet on Luke's left " shall fix 'ims'
"Of course, Tom, if an enemy's, in sight
try your skill"
Arkansaw took step aside and laid his
! long rife by the side of peach tree. A
moment later there came sharp report
followed by yell from the tall grass
and rosin weeds, and a man sprang hall
way to his feet and fell back kicking and
struggling.
Shot after shot rang along the skirmist
| lines, and the bullets whistled like hal
among the trees.
"Lie low; keep close to the ground ~ SAID
Luke.
Skirmishers soon learn that art. The
firing became general, and in few mo
ments the enemy began to fall back THAI
uneasy dread which possessed every mar
at first disappeared as the enemy began K
| foil xxrtlh ri uioh
ers pressed on.
Fearing the consequences Of hurting &
skirmsh line against line of battle, Luke
ordered halt. Not over one-half obeyed
and the others, with the cavalry, dashed
pell nell upon the enemy, whom they founC
in solid phalanx in field just beyond the
orchard fence. A volley like thunderclaI
shook the earth, strewing the ground will
dead and dying men and horses. The sur
vivOrs fed, and Captain Mason had all hC
could do TO prevent panic; but he at las
checked the headlong flight of the most i'm
petuous, and the firing was resumed at Ions
range.
Crouching close to the ground the Skin
mishers crept to the fence and opened fire OF
the rebels, who returned it, and bullet,
whizzed like hail about them.
II swow, Capn, we can't stand this
| long, Salu ArkauSdW lOui VINO WhS CIOuCu
| ing in a fence corneron Luke's left. "We'rt
fightin' the huh biln' O. EN-
The Captain was about to give the ordel
TO fall back, when he heard the stentoriar
voice Of Colonel Smart in their rear shout
ION the right by file into line, an be go
dinged quick about it,
Like veterans the new recruits wheeled
nobly into line and advanced to the fenc'
row. In moment both lines of battle were
wrapt in flame and smoke. WhistlinE
shots, dying grOans, the cries Of th'
wounded and the shouts of the combatants
mingled with the incessant rattle of small
arms, awed all peaceful sounds of nature Il
silence
The Union forces seemed reused TO I
pitch OF enthusiasm bordering unto frenzy
Their only. hope was TO break through thu
enemy's ranks and press on to Cairo Tn
rebels, astounded and dsmayed at the vigor