The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1891-03-21

He called the frightened men all the
names Ia the catalogue OF defamation.
Would you leave nv guns" he
shouted. your only protcctionY Would
you let them have my petsy"
II could hear the deep voice OF Capt.
Peter III. Rogers OF company III re.
proachfully crying: oh what a
shamel Why was ever born a Jersey.
many Is this foot-Tace or flghtf
Come back Come backr' Then wav-
Ing his sword he again screamed nj the
top OF his voice. Come back. come
backr'
There was j. Lacev Person. another
captain. aud Mai William w. Morris.
and other officers doing their best 10
stem the current. The sharp ping" or
the bullets was heard every second.
All the guns OF the battery were drawn
of but one. Pierson. Rogers. and others
grabbed the gun by the trunnions and
tried TO drag her from the field.
OF course the air was filed with
smoke. The rear Of the regiment had
moved very leisurely. The Johnnies
had come through the gap. and we were
oil mixed up. AS we began 10 drag the
cannon of. the Johnnies grabbed the
piece by the muzzle and tried to hold IL.
Then muskols were dubbed aud bayonets
used. IL ali those engaged In the fight
had been personal enemies for years the
cursing aud revilng could not have been
more bitter. The wounded fell to the
ground with oaths and imprecations
upon their lips. and without groan.
Enough of our men rallied TO enable us
TO hold on to the gun. The Vermont
regiment In the woods on the left had
stood firm, and the Johnnies who had
swept through the gnp were enflladed.
After the fight TO secure the gun was
over. we discovered that she was loaded,
that the lanyard was hanging from her
breach. and no one had though; 10 pull
Ii during the fight
The regiment rallied behind brush
fence. George Drake OF the color-guard
spraDg over IL and planted the colors at
the side OF the gun. He sworc that Lees
men should have them IL the regiment
did not protect them.
Probably 300 men lined themselves on
the colors Ia three minutes. each man In
his company, and each company in its
order. They moved forward ut The com
mand OF the colonel. aud restored the
main line. occupying the same ground
which they had left BY this time the
sun had gone down. and darkness was
sweeping over the PLAIN. 1t became In
tensely dark The regiment was lying
down Ia expectation OF another assault
IL was terribly trying time. The
means OF the wounded filled the air In
the distance The shells had set the woods
on Dire. La the lurid light the lieutenant.
colonel came down the line He saw me
standing in front OF two companies.
What companies are these. he said.
behind your
told him.
Where are the commissioned OH.
ccrsY'
Il don't know" was nv reply.
Where are the orderly scrgeantsY'
They re not here"
Hem. he mutiered. well, SER
geant major. take command of tho
division and don't resign II until you are
relieved
One Of the captains appeared not long
afterward. | told him | was In com
maud. with orders not 10 yield the
authority till the lieutenant colonel re.
lievcd me. Not long afterward the
lieutenant colonel did relieve me and
directed the captain 10 thank me for
keeping his company intact. A moment
aficrward the orderly OF the second com.
pany appeared and took command In
like manner.
Five minutes nftcrward the lieutenant.
colonel ordered me TO look after the
pickets. In the darkness | moved the
pickcts toward the enemy. Each man
took his intervals. STOPPING close to
the ground aud looking up | could sec
their forms outlined against the sky.
| could name each comrade by his out
line. The ground was covered with the
killed and wounded. Occasionally
wounded man tried TO crawl toward our
line. Everything. even the stumps,
seemed to be moving The wounded
were packed around dead horses They
crswlcd there TO escape the bullets, using
each carcass as shelter While stoop.
ing 10 the earth and CHANGING skyward
saw form moving past our line. Be-
yond could see the outline OF Corporal
Mason, n member OF our regiment |
called him To me. We accosted the
stranger. lie was a confedeKnp picket.
The lines were passing each otber IN tho