The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1889-07-02
BOY SOLDIERS.

AT 3 Cr1SlS IN Ln0 CIVIL Wal, oAC
cadets of the Virginia Military Instl-
tute were ordered in the field. 1t is
hard to conceive of a sadder picture
than the following, of the first expe-
rience of the little fellows in the nor
rors of val.
alt was Sunday morning AND
eleven o'clock; the little town OF New
Market, which a moment before
seemed to sleep so peacefully upon the
Sabbath morn, was now wreathed In
battle smoke and swarming with
troops. 1 was left to guard some
baggage, but 1 could not stay. [
feared the ridicule of my father Gov.
Wise). The guard of four went with
me (ene was killed, two were ~wounded).
We thrilled with the consciousness as
we swept forward, This was war =
Then came a sound more stunning
than thunder. Lightning leaped; fire
flashed; the earth rocked; the sky
whirled round; 1 stumbled, my gun
pitched forward, I fell on my knees.
/ knew no more. When conscious
ness returned, the rain was falling,
the shells were screeching and tear
ing the ground and bounding from
the earth. Hill, Merritt and Read were
lying near me gasping. My head was
bleeding, my battalion vas 800 yards
away and fighting. Youths dream
was realized; I was wounded and not
dead l arose, trudged along to-
wards the hospital, almost whistling
with delight, at the thought that the
next mail would bear the glorious
news to the old folks at home.
At the third advance, Cabell, at
whose side I had so long marched,
fell dead, and by his side Crockett
and Jones. They we're awfully
mangled. A blanket would have
covered the three. Mcdowell, a mere
child, sank with a bullet through his
heart. Atwell, Jefferson, Wheelwright
expired on the green sward. Shriver
and Ship fell wounded. Stanard's
limbs were torn off, and he lay bleed
ing. We conquered. At night no
sound broke the Sabbath calm (2)
save one gun pounding away at a
bridge. The town was filed with
soldiers laughing and carousing as if
it were a feast or a holiday. l went
out into the wheatfeld, l found one
body lying on its face, stiff and stark,
with outstretched arms; his hands had
clutched and torn great tufts of soil
and grass; his lips retracted, his teeth
locked, his face hard as flint, his eyes
staring, bloodshot. 1t was, indeed,
hard to recognize Cabell, who, but a
few short hours before, had stood
first in his class as a scholar, second
as a soldier, and the peer of any boy
who ever lived in every part of
physical and moral manliness.
"a little removed from Cabell, and
nearer the enemy, lay Mcdowell. 1t
was a sight to wiring ones heart.
That little boy was more fit for the
cradle than the grave. He was bare
ly sixteen and not robust. He lay in
death clutching back his jacket and
shirt, exposing a fair breast with it's
red wound. He was from North
Stanard, playmate, room
mate, friend, was yet warm, but dead!
One week before he had kneeled at
the chancel and was confirmed l
loved him as a brother, and the tears
would flow. The next day we buried
the poor boys with the honors of war,
bowed with grief at a victory so
bought. VIZ were still young
at the CHASTITY sport, but we proved
apt scholars. We were greeted as
heroes. The dead, and the poor fell
lows still tossing on cots with fear
and delirium, werea almost forgotten in
The orations at Harrisonburg Staunton,
and Charlottesville, forgotten by the
comrades, whose fame their
blood had bought. We were ordered
10 Richmond; our sadness disappeared.
week later the Cadet corps, gar
anded, cheered by $1,000 Threats, in
5oxicated with unstinted praise,
wheeled proudly beneath the shadow
If the State C~apital-Farm, Field and