San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-11-04

NllnIiei! WIFI the CtdSt'leSS CRASH OF the
oOughs torn by the palung shot from the
trees along the Yankee line. The second
Of the three great Confederate assaults
was AT hand and SickieS and his gallant
few. III then advanced position. We're
about to bear the brunt Of it
Foremost among his comrades stood
"Never-die Joe, calm.and silent as ever,
but with the light Of Il strange and ter
rifle JOY III his deep gray eyes. Only
amid the storm Of battle and the shadow
OF doom coula that restless spirit-ever
seeking death with an arlor the secret
Of which no man kGew-hope to find
peace, and such a storm was about to
burst upon him now as even he had
never witnessed yet
Suddenly the cannonade ceases, and
then the air rings with the ear piercing
yell of the southern war cry. and the
northern soldiers see dimly through the
rolling smoke huge dark gray wave,
crested with a glittering spray of bayo-
nets, come surging up the slope straight
toward their lines
And now the Federal artillery speaks
ont i'll its turn, and the sharp crackle of
small arms Hingles with the thunder of
the cannon Men fall at every step in
the ranks of the charging column, and
down goes Hood himself, struck by a
bullet; but the rush of Longstreet's men
comes on unchecked, and bursts into
the foremost battery like II waterfall.
And. after that, all is like the whirl
IF a troubled dream A wild vision of
fierce faces and tossing arms, half seen
onrough billowy slnoka-a furious clam
or of mingled cries-a hot, sitting reek
of dust and gunpowder-a wild beast
longing to tear and kill, tingling to the
very finger tips of every man in the
melee
The guns are taken--the defenders are
driven back-and then comes des-
perate rally, and the figure of Never
die Joe" is seen for moment in the fore
front of the fight, whrling his dubbed
rifle round his head like fail and
striking right and left with the strength
of giant. Then the pail of smoke
closes round him. and he is seen no more.
The men in gray press on-the men in
blue. stubbOrnly contesting every foot of
ground, are forced back step by step
when all at once deep voiced shout
peals forth from the rear, and the dash
ing Hancock and his men come up at a
run to restore the fight. There is fash
of lcaping flame through the smoke, like
lightning playing in a cloud-a fierce,
short spasIn of hand-to hand battle-a
swaying to and fro of struggling masses
of bluecoats and graycoats, like conflict
ing waves-and then the tide of assault
waivers. rolls back and GIBBS sullenly
away
AS sure as my names Bill Slocum,"
said one of two men who were going
over the battle field with lanterns few
hours later, well find him alive yet.
Don't we remember how, at ChancellOrs-
vile, he was the only man left out of a
hull compny? Seems to me, Mike, as
Deaths soneways like woman: when
YOU run arter him he fights shy and
slides off. but the minute You begin to
look as if you didn't care for his Compny,
up he comes right away"
Its that nd be glad to behave that
same" growled OReilly, but didn't !
see him fall wild my own two eyes?"
What of it," said Bill consolingly.
L guess he was only wounded, anyhow.
You mustn't call any Nan dead, Mick
till hes bin returned as stitch on the
fetal list o killed and wounded"
"Troth, it's aisy to talk" rcjoined
Mike ruefully, bat hasn't many da-
cent bhoy thought himself only wounded
whim he was dead all the timer"
Bills broad laugh at Shis splendid
bull" was suddenly checked by the
sight Of Illinois Dicks mighty form
lying lifcless, with upturned face, upon
a heap of dead.
"Joes bin a true prophet, reckon.
he said either he or poor old Dick was
bound to die. Well, if Dicks dead, Joe
must be alive, and guess he amt far
off, neither, for it was jist somewheres
round here as | seed him last. Hello!
here's one reb Twin yet, anyway How
do, Johnny? How dye feelT"
Kind o shaky, reckon" said the
southerrer. with faint laugh
''Thry dhropo' this, me bhoy," cried
Mike, offering his canteen; it'll do yez
more good than amy medicine, bad luck
to that same dirty stuff! Troth, twas
an illigant lick yc got, added he, eying
admiringly fearful cash on the fallen
mans head-"purty enough for ould
DonnybrOok emmy day.
That's So" said the Confederate,
seemingly revived by his draught. The
last lick he Civ wur the one got, and |
don't want to order no more at the same
store, tell yer! He wur tall Yank,