Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1890-09-19
IN THE WILDERNESS.

Gran, and Lee have had their first
struggle in the Wilderness. rs the
former seeks new road to Richmond
Amidst dense thickets in lonely fields,
along narrow highways, in the sombel
forests. L hundred / ousand men have
fought backwards IL l forwards, f. ON
sun TO sun, and now ! &c night has c,me
to shift the scene. T"crc are 5000 lien
lying dead on H. battle ground.
There are thous. Ids more lying
wounded, parching v it'll thirst. CRY ing
out in their agony. Lee still blocks
the road. hut 70 eoCIer has the sun
gone do"n than Grant begins a move
meut by the left flank to pass him. If
you can not cross swamp you must
pass around it. My division is one
left between the Two armies to hide
this movement. When morning comes
we shall be far in the rear The ground
where we rest is broken. There is
forest and thicket-a narrow highway
"A creek-two or three small farms,
with their buildings filled with wound
ed men. Fifty rods in front of log
house is our picket line. 1t skirts the
cleared land and runs away into the
darker woods on a straight line. The
neutral ground between us and the
enemy is in strip not over forty rods
wide.
At 10 o'clock Oh this night, when the
confusion and turmoil have grown
quiet, but while lanterns flash here and
there through the woods. rs men search
for the wounded, am left on "post No.
Z" for the coming two hours. My place
is under pine tree which stands in the
cleared ground, and all along the front
is the dark forest--so dark that white
horse might stand within a hundred
feet of me aud escape observation. 1t
is starlight night, but clouds are
drifting across the sky and the wind
comes in that gusty way which warns
you that a storm is brewing at 4 dis
lance.
For an hour there is no alarm. Grant
is moving by the flank. Lee is moving
to check-matc him. Grant has left q
line to mask his movement. Lee has
left line to mask his. 1t has been q
long terrible day. Darkness brings a
respite grateful for ali. We have vir-
tuaily said to each other over the
neutral ground:
LET US alone and we won't disturb
you?"
At II o'clock a noise in the darl
woods in front sends my blood leaping
1t was the noise of footsteps breaking
dry twigs. There are wounded horses
wandering about. but this was not the
footstcp of q horse. Wounded mer
may lie seeking our lints. but l lister
vain to catch groan or low call O
distress.
step! Step! Stepr'
The sound is on my left front. Some
one is moving to get the shelter of thu
dark spot directly opposite. He is NOV
ing carefully, but l can follow every
foot of progress.
Step! Step! (HaItD Step! Step!'
(SilcnceD
Is it ghoul seeking out the deat
and wounded to rob them? Is it ,
picket from the other line seeking II
locate our posts and report how fa
away we arep Is it some human devi
seeking to dabblc his hands in bloot
after the horrors of the day? Men who
had brothers or friends killed in battle
by daylight sometimes swore fearfu
vengeance and went out upon tn
bloody field at night to secure it.
Rustic! Step! (HaltD Step! Step!
Coming closer.)
If raise an alarm here it will 60 VI
and down the line and arouse
thousand men in a moment. If l le
this unknown approach me i may b
assassinated. He can not see me il
this gloom. but he is slowly approach
ing in direct line.
Halt! Who goes there?"
Deep silence.
If he was a straggler from our line
or wounded man he would max
answer.
step! Step!" And now hear hin
sink down to the earth.
WHO goes thereP"
Silence.
Who goes therea"
Silence.
am waiting with musket raised. ant
finger on the trigger. ! have give
fair warning. Friend could ask n
more. and an e. ny must realize hi
danger. As wait something makes
blot on the darkness. 1t is only fe;
feet away. and fire point-blank. Their
is one long. shrill scream of agony
andI hear body fall to the earth
and then t.icre is deep silence for
> moment.
What is lip" asks the corporal {
the guard as he hurries up from the re
serve stationed scarcely hundred fee
in the rear.
''There-rve shot some onc!''
The alarm runs up and down tn
lines 10 die away after five minutes. an
t..,'n We advance to the object. Th
oli:oral is there first. He reaches OF
to touch it, draws back in alarm, an
gasps: Great heavens, but you hay
Shot woman!'
1t was true. Some poor soul, craze
by the terrible sounds of battle-drivc
from her humble home - hiding
some thicket until darkness cam,
Then, dumb as tho trees around he
but guided by instinct, she sought
make her way back to the house-n
doubt the very hut filed with OF
wounded and suffering men. And sl
was dead at my feet-dead of my ow
bullet.-M Quad, Of Detroit Free Pres
Joseph Jefferson in Australia.
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