The National tribune., 1890-08-14

lots sped by US incessantly, with devilish
"p-i-ing" of the rifles and "s-w-i-sh" " of
the smoothbOres; canister shrielled and hurtled
rs it struck the limbs of the trees; shells
screamed till they burst with a crash, and every
piece flew off with screech of its own.
For little while it did not seem to mo pos
sible that j could escape for another minute
being torn to pieces iust as | saw the brush and
the trees. But thought might as well die
doing my duty, SO ! loaded and fired as fast as
! could, and really took careful aim into the
cmbrasure of gun which was vomiting fire
and canister directly mt US.
Pretty soon | got n little comfort from MOTTO
ing that most of the terrible tempest of death
was sweeping far above nc, being directed at
the regiments on tho crest of the hill. Still,
the number of missiles constantly striking
around was frightful.
Presently there came brief lull in the firing,
and we heard Web calling out:
"My God, boys can't you get me out of here.
I've been hit again"
1t seemed like madness TO attempt anything
for his help, but job and Quin at once laid
down their guns aud went crushing and leaping
over the brush to whore he lay. In minute
they had him in their strong arms and were
making their way back. Cad picked up Webs
gun and followed / ran ahead, trying to break
the brush or pull 1t out of their way, so as TO
make tho path easier for them. Ian picked up
Jobs and Quinn's rifles, and came over to help
me- while Herman stalked stoidl y behind all,
turning to fire with deliberate aim as fast as he
could load his rife.
Every musket in the battery seemed turned
on us. The air appeared to be as full Of bullets
rs it is of gDats on Summer night One tore
through tho skin on my shoulder, another
splintered the stock of my rife. The blood
was flowing down Quin's face from bullet
track which laid his scalp open and Cad was
shot through his forearm All the rest had one
ktsll It,nf,. al
tunately none had done worse than draw
little blood.
AT last we got to the railroad embankment,
and found partial shelter in a deep gully cut
by the water. We halted there to rest and get
breath. We found that both of Webs legs
were broken. When we had rested little,
took all tho guns Herman and Ian helped Job
and Qnin, and they carried Web to the top Of
the embankment, and back little ways, where
the musicians, acting as stretcher-bcarers, took
charge of him and carried him to the field hos
pitai, Cad following.
The awful experience VIC had been through
had not appalled, u.s. 1t had rather intoxicated
us with rage for battle and slaughter We
were wild TO get ut and destroy our enemies.
job aud Quin had lost their hats and thrown
away their coats. Their hair stood up like
bristles. They had the aspect of wild beasts aC
bay. Ian, also hatless, was standing very stiff
and erect, his face as white rs a sheet aud his
eyes burning. lie grasped his rife as if he
would crush its barrel in his grip. Herman's
stolid face was If cast in iron.
Tho 2Ist Mass. Lieut.. Col. Clark in com
mand, came sweeping up with fixed bayOnets,
for charge along the railroad against tho fort.
1t looked superbly terrible, with its serred
ranks OF Stalwart men, moving like some
mighty engine of wrath and the sight would
have stirred calmer than wo were We
fixed bayonets aud fell in with them at tho
Hraf fnfn al L..
chusetts borno proudly at the head we rushed
along the railroad, resistess tide Of power.
The rebel muskets stOrmed aud their cannon
swept us with canister, but nothing could stop
that mighty impulse. In a minute We had
passed the swamp and were on the flank and
rear of tho battery which had been dealing
out SO much destruction. Regiments of rebel
militia, which had been stationed in this sup
posed be most secure part of the line. fed in
panic, and we loaped into the ditch and clam
bercd over the breastwoTks behind which they
stood.
We fonnd ourselves in an old brickyard of
considerable extent. containing several build
ings aud abandoned kilns, the walls OF which
wero iOopholed TO allow those protected by
them to fire on those outside. rush was made
for these, and the rebels inside swaTmed out at
the rear.
Get up on that building there and wave
your flag, TO show them that the yicsOry's OURS
said Gen. Reno who had como forward with
the charging column, TO the Color-Sergeant of
the 3lst Mass. The brave fellow dashed for
ward in the face OF the firing that still came
from some Of tho rebels who wore recovering
their panic. clambered to the high roof aud
waved his flag triumphantly.
We've turned their flank, the day is ours"
said Gen. Reno triumphantly, as the mob of
demoralized militia scurred out of the brick
yard aud disappeared in the ravine beyond
4 f.s.tl
through over there by tho river We can tear
thom all to pieces, or if we get the rest of
my brigade up here we'll roll up their line like
a sheet of paper"
The crash of musketry and artillery over
toward the river continued with unremitting
fury. But 1t remained stationary. Eagerly as
we listened for t, we had TO admit there was
no sign of the slaekening of the rebel fro or the
moving forward of our own.
" Foster don't seem to be making much head
way" said Gen. Reno at length. "Ill 90 back
aud bring up the remainder Of tho brigade"
This was clearly the best thing to do, and he
left at once on that errand.
The rebels we had run off seemed to be re-
covering from their panic. They rallied under
the cover of tho bank over which they had
run, and began firing few struggling shots ut
first aud then quite n rain of bullets. We
sheltered ourselves behind the walls and the
brick making machinery, aud replied TO them.
The officers of the 2lst Mass. walked around
among us, saying:
Hold thom boys. Make every shot count
The rest Of the brigade will be up here in few
minutes, aud thon Well run them out of the
country"
Anxious minutes went by, but still no bri-
gade came, nor did the firing in front of Foster
advance.
Dom tho thafes of the wurruld," said Quin,
rubbing out of his eyes the fragments of Il
hYis LraH fhar lxty syfnf ino hull
Lets charge the mnrthering spal Opens We
run thin vance aud we can do it again. Oi
niver was in love wild this popping away at
| long taw. Let us get in arms lingth of the
divyils, and settle wild thin at once"
Col. Clark seemed to be in the same frame of
mind. but at this moment there burst out
terrible fire of musketry and cannon from our
rear across tho railroad. The gallant young
Adjutant of tho 2lst Mass. who had been con-
spicu0us wherever tho GRhting was the hottest
received shot through the breast, and fell
with a groan. Men dropt all around.
| We looked in that direction. aud the sight
was appalling, The rising fog showed that we
were not on tho flank of tho rebel-line but in
its center Stretching away OFF as far rs we could
see was q line of redans-little triangular
works-iiled with mon and artillery. Two of
these were directly across the railroad cut, and
| faced our rear.
We were but handful Of men. who had
thrust ourselves into the jaws of a mighty
| trap.
| But If tho brigade came up we could rond
| the jaws of the trap asunder and spread con-