Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1889-01-11
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lion, John S. Wise, sou of dover
nor and general Henry A. Wise, Of
Virginia, contributes to the January
CENTURY some OF his "reminiscences
as cadet of life at "The West Point
OF the confederacy," and gives a vivid
account of boys in battle at New Mar
ket, an engagement in which % of
the boys out of corps of 225 were
killed: up to this time | was still
corporal OF the guard, in charge of
the baggage-wagon, with detail of
three men, Rad rood, Stanard, Wood
lief. We had not been relieved, in
the general hustle and confusion. My
orders were TO remain with the wag-
ons at the bend in the pike, until our
forces were driven back; in which
case we were to retire to a point Of
safety. When 1t became evident that
a battle was imminent, single
thought took possession Of me, and
that was that | would never be abe
to look my father in the face again
If | sat on basgage-wagon while
my command was in its first, perhaps
It's only, engagement lie was a
grim old fighter, at that moment
commanding at Petersburg, aud
month later fighting at odds against,
"BIldy" Smith until Lee could come
up. lie had tongue Of satire and
ridicule like lash of scorpions. l
had nearly worried him out of his
lie with applications 10 leave the In-
stitute and enter the army. If, now
that had the opportunity, SHOULD
fail TO take part in the fight, | knew
what was in store for me. Napoleon
in Egypt pointed TO the Pyramids
and told his soldiers that from their
heights forty centuries looked down
upon them. My GRAFTON, delivered
from the baggage-wagon, was not so
elevated in tone, but equally emphst-
ic. 1t ran about this wise: ID jys,
the enemy is in our front. Our COM
mand is about to 90 into action.
like fighting no better than anybody
else. But have an enemy in my
rear as dreadful as any before us. If
| return home and tell my father that
| was on the baggage guard when
NY NOiui huto W ClC hhON
my fate. lie will kill me with worse
than bullet.-ridicule. 1 shall jim
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, aud two were wounded.
1--WE reiOined tie battalion as it |
marched by the left flank from the
pike. Moving at double quick we
were is an instant in line OF battle,
our right near the turnpike. Rising |
ground in our immediate front con-
cealed us from the enemy. The conf
mand was given TO strip for action
Kuapsacks, blankets, every thing but
guns, canteens and cartridge boxes
were thrown down upon the ground.
Oar boys we're silent then. Every
lip was tightly drawn, every cheek
was pale; but not with fear. With a
peculiar nervous Jerk we pulled our
cartridge boxes round TO the front
and frightened our belts. Whis,ling
rfed shell screamed over W as tip
ping the hill crest in our own front,
they bounded over our heads. Across |
the pike to our right Pdtton's brigade |
was lying down, abreast of us. AT.
ten -iion-n-n! Battalion forward
Guide-Center-r-rr! shouted Ship,
and Off we started. At that moment
from the left of the line, sp:ang Star
geant- Major Woodbridge, and posted
himself forty PAGES in front of the
colors as directing guide Brave
Evans, standing over six feet two,
unfurled our colors that for days had
hung limp and bedra ggled about The
staff, and every cadet in the Institute
leaped forward, dressing TO the en-
sign, elate and thrilling with the
consciousness that This IS war; We
reached the hill-crest in our front,
where We were abreast of our smok-
ing battery and in full sight aud
range of the enemy. We were pres.
sing towards him al ARMS port with
the light tripping gait Of the French
infantry. The enemy had obtained
onr range, and began to drop his shell
under our noses along the slope.
Echol's brigade rose up AMI were
charging on our right with the rebel
yell.
woodbridge, who was holdiDg
his position as directing sergeant,
was ordered TO resume his place in
the line.
Down the green slope we went,
answering the wild cry of our com.
rades as their musketry ratified out
its opening volleys. In another mo-
ment we should expect pelting rain |
of lead from the blue line crOuching |
behind the stone wall at the lane |
Then came sound more stunning |
than thunder, that burst directly in |
my face lightnings leaped fire flash
ed the earth rocked the sky whirl-
ed round and | stumbled. My gun
pitched forward and fell upon my
knees. Sergeant Cabell looked at me |
sternly, pityingly, and called out,
Close up, men, as he passed on.
al knew no more. When con-
sciousDess returned it was raining
in torrents. | was lying on the
ground, which all about was torn aud
plowed with shell which was still
screeching in the air and bounding
on the earth.
"Poor little Captain Hill of 'C'
company was lying near, bathed in
blood, with fearful cash ever the
temple, and was gasping like dy-
ing fish Read, Merritt, and another,
also badly shot, were at baud.
"The battalion was three hundred
yards away clouded in smoke and
holly engaged. They had crossed the
lane the enemy held, and the Federal
battery in the graveyard had fallen
back to the high ground beyond.
How came they there?'
thought, aud why am l hore?' Then
a saw that / was bleeding from a
deep ugly cash in my head. That
villainous rifled-shell that burst in
our faces brought five Of us to the
ground. 'Hurrah T! | thought, youths
dream is realized at last. I've got
wound and am not dead yet And
so, realizing the savory truth, anoth-
er moment found me on my feet
trudging along TO the hospital, almost
whistling with delight at the thought
that the next mail would bear the
glorious news to the old folks at home