The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-07-13
HoE 4 SOLDIER FEELS UNDER FIRE
A veteran OF tho civil war Tells OF Hts
First Experience In Battle.

into action lose the sense OF danger, and many
become more or less elated; but 1t is probable
that Just before going into fight the great
majority OF mon, although they are sure to 10
in all right. are usually oppressed by sense
OF fear. Men become accustomed to fighting
and may be less and less afraid; some men
may be without fear. but the FIRST time man
goes into action the sensation OF fright, before
he comes within full range OF the musketry
fire. may become so intense rs to I'LL the heart
with terror And yet mon. 10 whom life then
appears mex pressibly dear, face death steadily.
1t seems as though they would run away, and
sometimes mon do but not many as compared
with the whole number aud many volunteer
regiments in even their frstenGagement have
| gone into action with ranks practically. per-
haps wholly unimpaired by struggling.
The soldiers first fight is likely to make
lasting impression on his memory. The one
now recalled was fought In South Carolina In
| 1862. On the Union side only two brigades
were engaged. and the killed and wounded
| numbered not more than three hundred The
! regiment here referred to had thirty men Killed
! and wounded but 30 far as flrstclass battle
experience Is concerned 1t was rs serious as
though the numbers engaged and OF the killed
and wounded had been ten times as many. The
Union troops embarked on steamers at Hilton
Head. and moved up a river to q point fixed
| uHOu, huu ueDHTheu ne ODJbCb vi luo
! expedition was to destroy bridges on the limo
oil the Charleston end Savannah Railrond
| The troops went aboard late In the afternoon
and early in the evening, and the expedition
started soon after nightfall The boats
| moved slowly. for though the distance TO lie
| covered was short tho stream was crooked
and there was no reason for getting to the
a IAN Gois Int mgeh ana Gefor9
and got as much sleep rs We could, but we
| were all awake or were awakened before the
| boat reached the landing place and before the
Rangplank was out every ma was on his feet
and ready 10 go ashore. The mon were in light
marching order but with extra ammunition
| and ratiOns. 1t may be mentioned that the
regiment rs a body had Leen In one action in
killed and wounded. it had behaved admirably
| throughout At that timo was on detached
service; and while had served through one
| uuaintance with shot and shell, which men
soon get used to. and had occasionally heard
Lad never been in a ield light or under a
regular musketry fire: and there were in the
| tnched service or Illness we're like myself. now
| going into action for the first time.
the first brigade W" was to IeSd. and the second
brigade was to support the first npd to light II
its sefyises should he Ts!nired rsmem6er
We're In the second brigade. We went ashore
and fell in in line as We went of the boat. 1t
| just ahead Of me found the company ranks
ending even, 80 he leli in on the front rank and
in the Tear rear rank This is what we woulI have
done in forming at any time and don't sup
@en n and Know didn't The rs inf
moved or and when the time came we went.
too l. was well along IN N, the morning now,
miles We heard rife shots ahead and knew
that our skirmishers had met the
emy S Here were at first only few few
| scattering shots though somehow they sound
what an unpleasant and dangerous duty Skin
mishlng wa, going ahead practically alone in
int eESnc II, t0T "A who
shots coming sharp out OF the silence Were
every one unpleasant and when one came
ing. suddenly this firing rose to a sharp
craekle , O0wsd 3gcsy X broad
the Confederates were engaging our men; but
| the firing ceased very soon. and from the fact
that we kept moving; and that no troops came
Conlederates had retired
Pretty soon ., ,r or regiment came near to
siderable distance to, the. right and lett.
fp Raro through Which cott the de osd
which we we're app oachlnG; As We came near
OF the sklrmishere. and this time the cracRle
came right away. followed at once by sharp
musketIy firing. that deepened and continued.
and rose TO rattle and roar. with now and
then cannon firing tearing r99minously the
CIOSer-WOken WeD OF SOUND lDey were al II
now in earnest in the woods and omen spaces
ahead, and we when say we. l mean myself
aud those who. perhaps; fell as | did could
win the fight and that the second brigade
would not be needed.
Our regiment was formed In line in the cot
ton Held. to the right OF the road and lust out
side the face OF the woods, Now and then q
trees and whtstled by US. The roar ahead fell
and rose, and once or twice we heard cheering;
Coming down the road, and as he emerged
n u
man with his face covered with blood,
wounhed. Almost alongside Of him was
was bloody. He could scarcely walk. and he
leaned his head on the shoulder OF another
ported the man with the white face and helped
him along the road
More wounded men came down the road More
bullets came through the woods. our regiment
was ordered 10 lie down. We lay In the cotton
M bos fo Wos
come feature Of them OF course the men
didn't lie in a snGl row in one furrow. for that
would have stretched the line to q great length
but they lay IN two or three burrows AMI in
many places doubled W. There was in my
reserved. studious man, and brave soldier with
whom. though we had served together. ! had
but very slight acquaintance. We happened
to each other and TO the ground very closely.
views on war rs EXPIRE sed there gave rise 10 q
friendly feeling that still continues.
More bullets came down. and now and then a
grapeshot flew over or struck the face OF fur
row, aud one Iust nicked the crest OF one OF the
ridges and scattered earth on the men near by.
The firing continued. More wounded mon
came down the road. and very soon the stretch /
ers began to come on the way TO the field hos |
pitaL The desperately wounded men on the
stretchers lay Hs still as though they were
dead. How did hone that we would not 10 |
ordered In. Fail in The voice was familiar |
to every man in the regiment. Without wait
ing for Tho order that ran repeated along the 1
Linz eye syery ma was on as feet y an nsIant
lent alignment and in perfect order When !
the cotton field had been cleared and the regi- |
ment had entered the woods thick undcr-
growth WAS encountered and progress was |
slow and the limo WAS necessarily somewhat !
broken but the men We're not IN the .
smallest degree furred. Tho woods on
the Other side of tho road were much |
more free from underground and The !
oblGue movement was executed with as much .
calmness AS though II HAD been part Of u bat .
talon drill and with quite a much precision |
rs the nature OF the ground would permit. !
When We started forward again on the other /
side OF tie ROAD We knew we we're goi z to the
front Then tho fact that was IN the rcHr
rank seemed to strike me very lorcihly. and /
was very glni OF II, though knew that IL my
T. md tDt.f rp | would n