The National tribune., 1890-07-24

| at this spring, or i'm going TO or from it. The
| boys took turns carrying water, each taking rs
many OF his comrades canteens as possible.
| One man, who did not care to take too many
risks, took single canteen, which he filled,
| when 10 was struck on its edge by bullet and
split Oren, He returned TO the lines wiser as
| well as thirstier.
AT midday the rays of the sun and the heat
| which radiated from the bare road and stone
| walls was almost uncomfortable. COrp'l higgins,
overcome with heat fell down, unconscious.
| Milan Robinson and Marsena Stont, two sol
dters who possessed the not unusual combina-
ton of reckless courage with active sympathy
| Tor suffering comrade, volunteered to take
| him 10 the field-hospital. lt does not usually
require courage of n very high order 10 20 10
| the rear in time OF action. but ut Gettysburg
| there was no place within the Union lines
! beyond the range of the enemys artillery.
Returning from the hospital the two soldiers
stopped for a moment in the shade of a tree,
when grapeshOt, DETECTED from its course by
| striking the underside of a large limb, plunged
| downward, and striking Stout in the breast
| passed on into the earth. Poor Stout! He was
noble boy, full Of the possibilities of q life of
usefulness and honor, but the romorseless iron
| entered his bravo young breast and life with
! all Its magnificent opportunities had in that
instant vanished away.
During the second day the battle ragged fu-
| riously both 20 the right and left Of the line,
! but the conflict was not visible from our point
of observation. In the evening an unsuccess-
fnl assault was made on the Eleventh Corps,
! which the eight companies of the 136th, not on
the skirmish-line, assisted in repelling The
assault was led by the Louisiana Tigers. Some
of these beasts were added to the attractions of
the National Zoo" at Elmira, and many more
never returned TO their native jnngles
On the morning of the third day all was
! quiet, except for the never-ceasing annoyance
of the enemy's sharpshooters and the occa-
sional aggressive demonstration of his Skin
mishers. 1t became evident that Lee was con-
centrating bis forces for an attack on the CEN
! ter of the Union line
At o'clock preparations were completed and
a single gun boomed forth the signal Almost
| simultaneously 40 guns concentrated their
fire on Cemetery Hill. The Union guns, so in
number, promptly replied. The batteries were
about so yards behind rs, and perhaps one
fourth Of the whole number of our guns were
fired directly over our heads.
As terrifying agent the conical form of pro-
Jectie is vastly superior TO the spherical, "a is
the shell OF either form TO the solid shot. For
the information Of the student in dynamics,
and the veterans of the National Guard, it
may be stated that the cavity in the conical
shell has the form of pentagon. the walls of
the shell being quite thin at the angles. When
exploded it commonly breaks into six pieces,
including the base or cap. The pieces have
sharp edges and in their light through the air
give forth the whole internal gamut of unmu-
steal high notes, the key depending on the We
locity.
For two savage hours tho air above and
about Us was filed with kissing, shreking,
bowling messengers of death; a roaring, raging.
whitening hell Of missiles, pandemonium of
unearthly sounds
II was during this time that the colors of the
l56th received their baptism of fire." They
were not displayed as target but, carefully
rolled and encased. stood leaning against the
wall. A she'll struck the wall near them and
exploded, killing two men, wounding three
others and striking the flag which, when I'M
furled, showed the staff nearly one-ha cut
asunder aud line Of - holes somewhat larger
than the stars in its field.
Human courage has its limitations The
concentrated fire Of hundred canuons affects
the mind in much the same manner ms do the
destructive forces of Bature-the lightning,
the tornado, the earthquake-all dangers to be
avoided, not resisted. Men may meet death
hravely, when nerved TO supreme effort by
gallant charge; they must await 10 In fear when
uuDerved by inactiOn. But fear also has It's
limit If one may survive that whitening fire
for moment, why not for an hour7 Philoso-
ply comes 70 the rescue. The missile that Ia
seen or heard has already passed by on its
cruel errand. Why shrink in terror from an
unseen danger2 What can one do bnt sit with
his back to the wall against which the frag-
ments OF she'll are striking, aud watch with
such cOmposure as he may command the GU
rious flights Of the different projcctiles, while
awaiting the time aud the order for personal
action? And now strange ph ysical phenome-
non is observed: the crashing, deafening roar
Of our own with the distant thunder of the
enemy's guns, blend with the screaming shell
in rather noisy but effective lullaby. Drow-
sincss and, in few cases, sleep ensues. The
sun no longer glares fercely down with bis
tering heat, but CLEANS redly through the
smoky air. The sense of great personal peril
gradually gives place 70 apprehension Of gen.
eral disaster as our guns one by one cease FIR
ing. until Az are silent. IL is time for gloomy
forebodings-a time for depression Of spirit.
Along that line a hundred battlefags droop
laDguidly in the still sultry air, cling timidIy
20 their stats, or shrink cautiously within
their oilcloth covers
Alb, flag Of q once prond but now unhappy
country, well mayst thou droop and shrink In
timoro0s fear Thou hast bfaved thy cOuntry's
foes on land and sea, and waved triumphant
over all but now the arms that have grown
strong beneath thy shcltering shadow, the
very hands that bore thee proudly from Vera
Cruz 70 Chepultapec, are raised against thee.
This is Indeed the hour Of thy extreme perilI
The guns Of the enemy still thunder from
the crest of Seminary Ridge but the missiles
no longer pass over US. They are directed at
point some 400 yards 10 Onr left We rise some
what cautiously 10 our feet and look out across
the valley. We see CLEAN Of gun barrels as
the indistinct gray lines emerge from the oppO-
site woods their line Of march directed on the
brigade next % our own on the left. They
move out rapidly in good form, second line
following at supporting distance, and moment
later a third, followed by artillery. Again our
guns open fire on the advancing columns, while
the enemy continues to serve Us with shell over
the heads Of their moving lines Occasionally
a well directed shot makes gap in the APP
preaching ranks. They lose the touch Of elbows,
but press calamity forward. The advance
reaches a stout board fence. They are now
within musket-range. They climb the fence;
many fall, some forward, some backward. The
wounded In great numbers are seen passing TO
the rear. The alignment is lost; the different
lines are merged into a seething, struggling
mass that surges onward like the waves of an
angry ocean.
The enemy's artillery can no longer be safely
employed, and the iron throated monsters are
for time, silent. Only few Of the Union
guns can be used, but these are served with
terrible effect. Then the roar of cannon gives
place TO the rattle and crash Of musketry, and
the enemy, still pressing forward, is lost to our
view behind a grove Of trees.
What moment Of suspensei Soldiers turn
70 their comrades and read In their pale faces
only the reflection Of their own fears What
IL our line should be broken2 There was an
awful uncertainty Of results as volley answered
Voiley and yell succeeded cheer. Had they
indeed broken through what then wnuid han.