The Irish standard., 1889-05-25

the men to make q gallant stand, he heard
q well-known voice growing:
!" Why III thunder didn't they giv' a feller
q chance ter git a bite ter eat afore they
drlv as inter this fight"
"Oh, shetyeI mouth, Max, UT e gunner Il
think it's cannon m ram a swab inter it, I"
said a cheerful voice ut his side. The
Colonel recognized the gray locks and
SLOUGH hat as belonging to Arkansaw Tom.
Thank God the brave old fellow is still
alive" said the Colonel.
The enemy was determined to follow up
every advantage they had gained, and
again poured down upon the army they had
driven from its position. Hooting, yelling,
shouting and screaming like SO many fienas
let loose from the internal regions, they
again struck the Union line OF hattie. The,
roar of firearms and laundering crash of
artillery made the earth and heavens
quake.
This was Shiloh all day long. tt was as
if he'll had suddenly been nncapped, and
iends, fire and sulphur turned upon the
earth. Shot and shell flew like rain among
the men and trees. There was no distinct
firing. but q terrific, continuous roar, while
the whole horrible scene was at times
vailed by a cloud Of smoke. From out the
lines Of white vapor there issued continu-
Gus jets of tlame which ran along from
line TO line never entirely dying away
"My God! what Is scene!' cried an officer
near Colonial Mason.
Well might he Sc exclaim. AS 6 soldier
who was in the hornets nest once said to
the writer;
:" 1t zaGs IL day IN helH''
The inccssant roar, the crash OF cannon,
falling of branches and even trees, cut
down by the artillery, the dying men and
horses, and rivi1lets SO tinged by human
gore as to look like streams Of blood, will,
piles OF slain in every direction, made
it seem like a day in perdition. Tie half Of
Shiloh never has been, and never can be
told. Ten thousand Incidents escape the
minds OF narrators every time they at
tempt its description. The narrator only
bled, and men fell like grass before the
scythe. Friend and foe were at times so
ntermingled that it was difficult to tell one
by earthqnekin g~reports and burning with
thirst they scarce were humans. The forest
was flied with sm:sll game, such as abound
in the woods. The poor little birds and ami
mails loaralyze;1 with fear, oy that co1ltinu-
Gus roar aud din, seemed incapable of
fight.
Luke saw birds sitting nu limbs from
which they refused to stir Until knocked CT
by the soldiers or hit by 9 stray shot.
Hares were so frightened that they sa5
crouched upon the ground until kicked over
by the soldiers, and then they would only
hop away short distance and crouch to the
earth again, TOO much terrified 70 Leave the
field.
It seemed TO Luke the longest day OF his
life. It seemed as if Joshua had again COM
nanded the sun to stand still, and that it
would never go down. Oh, that night Or
Buell. would come was the prayer Of both
officers and soldiers, for every body real
.zed that this was Waterloo fer one Of the
armies in the field
/ was five O'Clock in the evening, and the
;derals on the right and left OF General
entiss' brigade had fallen back, and the
bells taking the advantage they had over
brigade, swung their lines around
the rear of it. luke discovered that
cir object was to flank theIt, and with
hat remained of his regiment succeeded
cutting his way through to the rear, thus
,caping capture; for almost ali the re-
ainder of the brigade was taken-with
lem brave old General Prentiss
1t was nearly night when they finally fell
acl1 under bluff on which Colonel j. d.
Webster, of General Grants staff, had az
angea about twenty-five pieces Of artillery.
'hese cannon soon added their thunder to
he general din. Luke was sure he had
never seen artillery handled SO efectually
before. Their grape and canister moved
down the Confederates, checked them, and
saved the Union army.
Thus ended day Of carnage. When
night came the firing had almost ceased.
A cold rain fell during the night, but men
lay in their ranks on their arms, while all
over the field went up the moss piteous
cries and groans Of wounded that ever ear
heard.