The Forrest City times., 1891-06-19
WHO COMES HERE?"
Halt! Who comes herep"

change the pickets, and I was dropped out at post No. z. We had fought Lee all day long on the strangest battle field of the whole war-in the Wilder ness. From right to left tlank-from front to rear--we were hemmed in by forest and thicket. There were swamps in which lizards and serpents lurked, thickets in which the coy whippoorwill built it's nest, dense spots of forest which seemed never to have echoed the ring of the woodlands axe.
 We had fought from tree to tree, from thicket to thicket, from glade to glade, pushing back the gray linen here hailed and compelled to give ground at other points. Lees lines barred the way. Never man in his whole army whose musket- barrel was not hot that day Never man who did not feel that he was fighting for the life of the confederacy.
 How the forest shook and trembled as the great guns sent their deadly missiles crashing through the foliage! How the thickets blazed up in flames the severed limbs crashed down-the sunny glades turned dark as night with the powder smoke settling down The dead outnumbered the bushes; the wounded walled and cried as I never heard them before or after. There was something so sombre-so gruesome- so unearthly in fighting a foe unseen in the semi-darkness that the shouting and cursing usually heard in the lines nla tp ell
 Darkness had come at last and the roar of battle had died away to low growl Grant had failed to drive Lee. We knew that from flank to flank If he could not force passage way through those gray lines he could flank Them. Before tho sun went down we knew that he would do it. It was not yet night when the movement begun. but my division would be one of the last to move, and we must hold our ground and prevent the confederates from discovering what was taking place. It was a curious coincidence of war that Lee was also moving by the flank, both armies marching in parallel Hines from a battle field which had yielded neither victory nor defeat to either side.
 Post No. was under a large tree on the edge of a thicket. To the south there was strip of open ground, then a thicket, then an old field. in which stood a log cabin, It was a lonely place, well away from the camps, the dead and the dying, but was glad to be alone. All along the lines there was a growing of musketry; but this was but a blutf--a bit of acting to cover the real design. 1 hal been nearly an hour on the post without anything happening to alarm ma, when l heard a person moving in the thicket across the open strip.
 Was it a persona Riderless horses had galloped about that day almost without number; this might be one which had found shelter in that thicket.
 Rustic! Rustlel Step! Step!
 It was a cautious movement. Who- lever it was hoped to reach me without discovery but there were dead leaves underfoot and the thicket was dense. A hare could not have moved without ,betraying its presence.
 Rustle Rustic,
 Kneeling down so as to see under the darkness, as it were 1 suddenly made out black object against the dark background It is neither horse ormule; it is a human being. A scout from the enemys picket post only a quarter of mile away! A wounded man hobbling about to find succori One of our own scouts returning,
 ''Who comes here?"
 There is silence for fifteen seconds and then woman's voice answers:
 '1 can't find the place! It is so dark 1 can't find the place."
 Aye. it was woman's voice, and it had a sob in it, too. A woman there in the darkness between the hostile lines-with powder still in the air. with stray bullets darting through the thickets with whizz, as of some great insect stirred to anger!
 .'Who comes here"
 Il wish it wasn't so dark, I am so tired-so tired,f
 And then she came across the open strip towards me, making no stop, never hesitating. walking straight up to me as if she could sec as well by night as i'll the sunshine of day
 Il can't find the place." she sobbed, as she came to a stop within arm s length.
 Good God, woman. but what are you doing here?' I gasped, almost terrified at her presence
 See! See!" she replied, holding a bundle out towards me ''One time l saw beautiful spot in the woods, and said to myself that if he died I would bury him there, but 1 can't find it-l can't find it!"
 '.What is it womanp What have you got there9'
 aSeel see. Don't be afraid. He's dead. He can't speak or move. Take him!n
 She put bundle into my arms and | cried out and let fall my musket. It was the body of baby about a year half old. Deadp Yes! Dead from a cruel bullet which had pierced its lit tie body and left a great wound which looked horrible to me in the dim light Dead and cold and bathed in its blood ---deai for hours! And when reached out and touched the shawl or wrar worn by the mother my fingers burned at the feel of blood
 '.I have carried him such a long, long way, :" she moaned .'and have cen % many dead men and heard SC many guns! You'll help me wont lt N <