, 1891-01-15

DEATH
a second staff officer had been sant
back to hurry mp the infantry" The
noble fellows were coming. You could
hear the deep, mufled hum Of their
footsteps as the double quicking hur-
ried them onward. As they came up /
heard the short, quick command: Nov
out by the right flank! Into linel
Steady, men; steady! l expect every
man to do his duty now!"
Move out, and move on, my dear com
rades! Alas! many moved on into that
column which passed on, never to re-
turn. Their first battle was their last.
There was a lull in the firing in front,
but out to the leftward volley after vol
ley poured, out upon the morning air
the sun Just rising over the hills to our
right. had followed at the gallop the
general, who was hurrying 10 the front.
He was more silent than 1 had ever
known him. Suddenly he halted and
turned TO see who all were about him.
What troops are thoseg' / asked him
doubtfully, as l saw a long line of in
santry men double quicldng behind a
high rail fence distant not $50 yards
away. could not distinguish the uni
form, and | was not aware Of the direc-
ton from which all our rinemen were to
Henter the
My Godr' said the general. chat is
the enemy
We were upon them before we were
aware Of their close proximity. They
discovered Us, too, at once, and were
preparing for the Ieeting.
"Get ont of the roadr' shouted the
general There was a clump of trees on
either side Of the highway upon which
he had thus far advanced.
Get out Of the road! Don't you see
they are bringing the battery TO bear
upon us from tho hill yondery"
looked, and a white puff of smoke
greeted my vision, and the same instant
whiz-z-whur-r-r- chee-ee-ce went a
shell right between the general and his
staff, and it bounded down the road. ex-
ploding in our rear.
The general addressed Ine again:
Get ont of the road, and gallop back
and have the cavalry moved on the flank
Of that line yonder in the field.
Another shell came in the mean time,
n made the mir resonant with the fly
ing fragments.
Then there WAS a yolley of rifles and a
faint cheer near to our Aanks-for our
infantry were now moving out of the
skirt Of the woods and opening the bat
tie in earnest.
Capt, Hart, too, had come, and he I'M
limbered his guns on the battery ON the
hill in our front, though he soon turned
his aim to the infantry line that was
nearer, and l heard the shots rafting
upon the rails behind which the enemy
had fallen.
THANK God, the infantry are here"
said one. They are the men whose
shoulders 10Y the wheels ON to victory.
l heard the commanding general shout
as the long line came hurrying ON just
rs the men emerged from the skirt Of
woods. NOV on that line behind yon
fence!'
A red and white aud blue line Of fire
answered from the enemy.
Fall down and fire!' l heard an Off
Ger shout.
Alas! many had already fallen-fallen
to rise no more.
Half "A hundred men of a regiment
stood up. aud their irregular fire ratified
mockingly along the fence.
II was thew work of but u moment. for
a whole brigade in our front answered
the fire Of the little band. The battery
rained grape and canister and shrapnel
against the brigade. and now the battle
had joined in awful earnestness all along
the line.
Battery replied to battery. hostile
brigade replied to hostile brigade. with
sheets of iron and leaden fire. There
were in the terrific din the hurting shot,
the screaming, screeching shell. and
whistling whirr OF the deadly mimic,
Amid the uar were the shouts of com.
mand, the wailing shrek of the wounded
and the means of the dying. The hours
were passing, the musketry was roaring
with IN unbroken note, the batteries
were believing Mt each other, when sud
denly there was "A deep, dull thud-a
mighty force which at once shook the
whole battlefield. Two heavily laden
caissons were blown up simultaneously.
Then there was another sound which
could not be mistaken. There was a
lull in the firing on our right, and the
whole earth seemed to be laboring and
grooming. Thousands stood listening
amid the horrid hell
oh, 1t was the charge of the c~avalryI
"Chargel charger shouted the throass
of a dozen officers, and the bugle blasts.
ringing out family in the din, mingled
and died away in the fierce shouting Of
the squadrons.
Boom! boom! boomi went the artillery
bossesl
Clang! clangl clangi rang out the gilt
tering sabers as they leaped from the
scabbard.
1t was, however, but an instant Of aw-
full chorus when the wailing cry of Wet-
erloo, sauye qui peut!-"save himself
who can!-went up before the o~nrushing
squadron of furious horsemen. who broke
ont il the wild shout of victory tl.at
deadened the gum along the whole line
and troops on the right-troops on The
left-troops in the center-an caught the
notes, and there was one long and terrific
thunder note of victory! The cheers of
infantry men greeted the shouts of cav
airy meanwhile the little squad about
the artillery-braye fellows, with bards
Of red upon their uniforms, cried ont, as
the defeated were seen flying in stricken
masses in front:
"Hurru for our battery!''
And well might the living victo3s
shout!
And well may tho dead rest-friend
and foe in one red burial blent. M. V.
Moore in Atlanta Constitution.
He Was hit Hard.
reacher-What is a famineg
GVnn1l nav fy-I, l.- -. =. Al. - !