The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1889-08-24

anu WITHIN twenty TOUR nOHrS, VIC Wcrc
marched to the front.
In the change from home to the stirring
scenes of army life, 1 tried to forget; but
by the camp, fire on lonely picket duty. or
in the rush and roar Of battle. thong hts Of
Mildred would intrude. ] shranx from no
exposure, feared no danger. Men called
me brave; was simply reckless 1 had no
dread of death; why sholld | have! Life
had lost all charm tor ma.
Months rolled On ono two, nearly three
years had passed. l never heard from
Mildred, except an occasional word in my
mothers letters. She was still unmarried.
did not wonder at this, fer knew Carl
was still in the army, and frequently near
me. But l never sought him, even when
our regiments were side by side. no Ion
ger felt hatred toward him-I could not do
that II Mildred loved him, but | had not
rea he'd a point where I could meet
him calmly, and preferred not to see him
at all; and strange as 1t seemed to ms at
times, he never sought me.
Step by step. advanced until, when the
battle of Drurys Bluff was fought / held
a captains commission.
All hight we had lain on our arms, and
with the first gray dawn the enemy were
upon u.s. Oar regiment was in the thick
est of the fight
Again and again the Confeierates hurled
their forces against US, AMI were met by
the fe 'cest resistance OF our men. Charge
succeeded charge, volley returned volley,
repulse followed repulse; backward and
forward surged the huge columns Of men;
broken, raliying, retreating. advancing,
cheering for victory one moment, and beat
en- back by the foe the next
Every cartridge box had been eniptied
and more than one half of our regiment
had melted away in dead, wounded and
missing. We knew we were being driven
foot by foot, by our brave and desperate
foe, and If ak should come, they would
pour through breach.
just at that m )ment hel p came to us,
battery withdrawn from another part OF
the field came gallop:ng to our relief. Over
hedges and bitches, through clumps Of
bushes they dashed, every driver urging
his team The guns leaped from the ground
as the wheels struck stones and logs, but
not horse slackened his pace, or driver
lost his seat.
In another moment the battery was in
position, the horses hurried away and the
ammunition chests opened; and the next,
murderous fire was opened upon the enc
my.
For the first time that morning our veal
led and broken brigade had moments
rest We received fresh supply OF am
munition and. forming in line of battle, lay
down behind the guns.
The grouni shook and trembled arc ind
us by the mighty conclusion. The enemy
pressed forward to capture the battery, we
could hear their shouts as they formed for
bayonet charge, and saw the Craps and
canister NOW great swathes in their ranks.
Men were literally torn in pieces, aud
headless bodies and torn limbs sent hnrl-
ing through the air in that awful charge.
But through il all they still pressed on,
closing up the ranks as the dead fell.
There Were shrieks, and screams and shouts
mingling in one steady and awful cry with
the roar of great guns, belching death Id
| their ranks.
| At last one half Of the gunners were
down, and the enemy rushed in among the
guns. Our men sprang to the rescue, and
with we'll directed bsyonet charge forced
back thu broken ranks Of the foe.
The field was ours, but at what fearful
cost! The dead, the wounded, tho dying
lay in heaps. The wheels Of the guns
could not be moved until the windrows OF
/ the dead were removed. Rapidly and caro-
fully as possible we made room for the bat
terry to pa IS. There were few wounded,
nearly all were killed outright Carefully
we removed those few and bore them to the
hospital tent in the FEAR was directing
| my men in the work, when suddenly from
] among the piles of dead, face was up
turned, face knew only too well. Carl
Maxam and had met him at last
He was horribly mangled, and saw could
only live a few moments unless the flow OF
b.ood was soon checked For an instan,
the thought flashed across by brain, "If he
died Mile would be free.' But crushed
back the traltorous thought, and hastily
improvising torniquets 1 stopped the bleed
ing arteries as best could, and, With the
help of one of the men, bore him to the
hospital tent.
He opened his eyes as We laid him down
One glance and knew was recognized
He raised his hand feebly, and tried to reacf
his vest pocket.
"a package-my pocket" he gasped.
slipped my hand into an inside breas
pocket and drew forth small pac kage
carefully enclosed.
"Mildred,s he said, with great effort
looking at me wistfully, and vainly trying
to say more. His lips moved for n,omen
4 f.-a,~ ttnx4 hs
Jaws relaxed, an ashen pallor spread owe
his face, and with few short gasps he wa
dead.
placed the package in my breast pocket
and just at that moment the call soundc'
TO reform In line OF battle, and we wer'
hurried away to another part Of the field
In half an hour we were again in Tn
thickest of the fight.
At the first charge ball passed tnrougl
my leg, and the battle Of Drury's Bluff wa
over for me, and the war, also, 1t proved
for after several weeks in the hospital,
was discharged from the service. and RI
turned home.
All this time I had carefully kept th
package Carl had given me. had mol
bid desire to give it to Mildred in person
and waited my return home, which Kne'
from the first must soon come
The day of my return lay on the largt
! old -fashioned lounge in the living room
my fathers house when Mildred came .
me. Wan and wasted with suffering wit
one leg gone, was scarcely more than tn
/ wreck Of my formerself.
t She had changed almost as much a. l;
v the glrlish freshness and bloom had fadet
. and the grave, quiet manner seemed moi
r befitting woman of fifty than a girl Q
. twenty-three; yet to me she seemed deare
and sweeter than ever.
t 81 am so glad to see you home once more
' she said as she grasped my outstretche
n hand
q There were tears in her eyes, and NJ
J, voice trembled.
r How good it seemed to look into her fac
q to hear the sound of her voice, and feel u
a pressure of her hand once more!
v Could sbe-could she care for me- no
= Carl was deadl found myself 80 cage
. even now, for her love, that would be onl
4 too thankful for even small part OF whit
o she had given him.
!. But CARTS letter must be delivered mrs
though it might be the means OF separatlf
d us still more widely.
- .Aftera few mutul inquiries and reptile
!. I drew the package from my pocket.
r II found Carl on the battle field OF Drury
- e.. 4u IN "a N