Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1889-05-23

lead on, followed by o score, anu then
hundred. The crow and blue jay fly away,
and every soldier, moro eager for shot
than prudent, pressed forward
Luke strained his eyes for a glimpse of the
enemy. and was at last rewarded by dark
object moving about among the leaves.
Whether one man or score he knew not,
for the bushes almost completely concealed
them.
The ball opened in front, and fire, smoke
and leaden hail were poured in upon the cen
ter Of the Union skirmish line. The soldiers
stood their ground and fought with wonder
full desperation and GOODNESS.
"Why don't the y reinforce u.s." cried
Lieutenant Smith "We're fightin' hull
army"
A few moments later the skirmishers
were reinforced, and CALAMITY pressed for
ward, pushing the Confederates back two
hundred PAGES or more up the hill, where
they made another stand.
A roar OF musketry met the advancing
skirmish line, and the woods seemed alive
with leaping flames. The bark few from
the shattered trees, limbs, twigs and leaves
fell in showers, and bullets whisted like
rain about the ears of the soldiers
The man on Luke's right was killed,
one on the left fell mortally wounded,
Lieutenant Smith received shot in his
arm and retired TO the rear, Corporal Max
was knocked down by spent ball, and for O
few moments the young Captain seemed to
stand alone before the enemy
soap, I be cussed eff we hain't got ter
git out o. this" cried old Arkansaw Tom,
coming up at this moment. We're 6ghtin'
line o. battle"
Luke had realized this some moments be
fore, but had held his ground hoping soon
to be reinforced. The fire was SO heavy
chat the soldiers had begun to fly.
"Come on, Cap; fur Gods sake don't
stand thar N be killed." cried old Tom,
selling his arm and trying to drag him
away. The dense smoke of battle had
settled about among the woods, rendering
objects invisible twenty PAGES away.
AS Luke was about to comply with the
old scouts request q Confederate officer
followed by half dozen men ran forward,
shouting:
Surrender or dier'
"Not by a jugful," yelled Arkansaw Tom.
and quick as fash he brought his gun TO his
shoulder and leveled it at his heart.
But just as his finger pressed the trigger
Luke struck up the gun with his sword
and sent the bullet flying haruflessly
through the air.
"Dod burn it, what ID We do tibet fur9"
"Fly for your lfe,n shouted Luke, push
ing the scout down the hill and starting
after him. But black object behind tree
arrested his attention. 1t was that mys-
terious old negro, Blackhawk, who had
been a puzzle to him from childhood
Blackhawk had got away from the boat,
found gun and came to fight. He was
kneeling behind a tree, his gun leveled at
the young Confederate whose life Luke had
saved.
"You black scoundrel, dare you fire and
will run you through" shouted Luke, plac-
ing the point of his sword against the
negro's breast.
'He's Ia Reb, massa, an rs fightin' ter
free my POI wife an little baby"
"But he was good master to you, and
II you harm HIM l will kill you" He
snatched the negroes gun from his hand
and hurled him down the hill.
They had not gone far before they met the
advancing lines of the Federal army, and
the skirmishers quickly fell into place and
all pressed CALAMITY up the eminence
through the felled timber. The terrible
thunder of contending armies made the
woods tremble. The Federals passed over
the abattis of fallen trees, though many q
gallant soldier laid down his life In the
effort. Luxe saw Eddie Reed, one of his
company, lying with his body in the fork Of
fallen tree, and supposing he was en-
tangled, went 70 help extricate him, but he
had bullet in his heart and was dead.
The Union forces drove back the rebel
lines before them. AS soon as the cleared
space around the camp was gained, q
charge was ordered, and a terrible hand TO
nx.AA "a -
numbered eight thousand, but General
GRANTS forces fell upon them with such i'm
petuosity that after brief but desperate
struggle they broke and fed. A moment
later the stars and bars were run down,
and the stars and stripes mounted into their
place.
The batteries at Columbus commanded
the position, and General Grant knew he
could not long hold the camp. The only
thing that had protected the Union forces
from showers Of shot and she'll was the
fear the Confederate gunners had of kill
ing their own friends, for the blues and
grays were so mixed up that it was rather
difficult TO tell friend from foe.
Driven from their camp the rebels fed
down under the hill. The Union soldiers,
flushed with victory, became wild. Hither
and thither, helter-skelter, they went, re-
gardless of military discipline, and SEEM
ing more like madmen than soldiers. They
plundered and burned the camp and
cheered until they were hoarse. In vain
did General Grant try to get them back to
the transports. They seemed bent only
upon the destruction of the enemy,s prop
erty.
"Form yer men," yelled Colonel Smart,
growing white with fury.
"Fall in--fsll in" cried Captain Mason.
"Hurrah fur the stars and stripes;
we're the boys that licked the Johnnies |"
yelled Corporal Max, but short distance
away, swinging an officers liquor-case over
bis head.
"Fall in-Max, fall in" Not over half q
dozen men in Lukes company were yet in
line, the others running about the camp.
A scene Of confusion ensued. Officers
frantically swearing. and here and there
dragging soldier to his position, while the
men seemed to have lost their wits and
were whooping and shouting like madmen
A white pun Of smoke curled up from one
OF the batteries at Columbus and a shell
came circiing through the air. 1t exploded
near the camp and brought the soldiers to
their senses.
In less than five minutes long lines OF
AA0" "SAO hAANS uo"u ING HAA Aloh tne
camp.
'sThe Rebs are comm over in boats |"
some one cried, and the alarm spread
throughout the army. The excellent gener-
alship Of the Commander alone saved the
Union forces from utter rout.
Companies could not be got together, and
regimental organizations could not be fully
maintained. Stragglers were scattered
everywhere, some searching for dead or
wounded friends, others on plnnder bent,
aud not more than one-half of them re-
NAMED at their post, or heard an order
given by the officers.
Luke, with about fifteen OF his company,
started down the hill. Already the head of
the column was well under way. He dis
covered that he was not even with his own
regiment
ISs.f-.,- 1919 -. -. 49, 49,. - =. kttt