Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1891-07-04
WAR "REMINISCENCES.
THE FIRST BATTLE.
An Old soldier describes che varylr

y
old soldiers to tell you how they felt
when going into their first battle, per-
haps no two would have precisely the
same impressions to relate. To most
men going for the first time into the fire
of an enemy's guns on the field of bat
tie, it is certainly a trying ordeal, an
occasion attended with the most thrill
ling sensations, feelings full of dread
and fear. No other experience in life
can ftly compare with it ,i...
A volunteer army is composed of var
led classes of men. and in the variety,
dangers do not always develop the
same feelings or results. Men who
confront death on battle field. from
sense of duty are affected differently
from those who under the mere thrill
of excitement rush, like the unthinlSing
horse, into peril needless of cause or
result. Then there is another class of
soldiery men who are-they know not
why-utterly indifferent to fate, men
who are unconsciously devoid
of the sense of danger, even
If they do not possess that
sublime trait of character called valorg
Bravery does not always consist of the
PONSh w SaPuSiby w itly
danger, and men are often towards
when there is really no danger to face
and overcome Such people are like
children who are reluctant to go into
the dark room even though they are
confidently assured there is no enemy
there. Shadows frighten many people
as well as chickens
Among soldiers there is-as observed
in our late war-still another class but
:;ttle different from those just referred
to, men who may be put under the
head of don't cares'-young men who
go into battle with about the same feel
ing with which they would go into a
foot race or swim in deep water
Then there are the men with the pure
lofty courage, the valiant and true, who
go out coolly and steadily under the
FIRE, even though there is the restrained
dread in the innermost heart, even
though there may be seen the slight
pallor on their cheeks the unconscious
rcstlessness in the eye and the evident
subtle emotion that moves the lip and
the limb. Woe to the enemy who
stands or covers under the steel of such
| foe
The most trying ordeal in the first
battle-and in all battles, for that mat
ter-is in the start; in the getting ready
when the hour has come to move on the
foe; in the movements preparatory to
the action; in the moments of prelude,
and before the enemy is in sight; when
| the drum first beats the loud alarm;
when the bugle blast fiercely trills the
sudden summons, Boots and lSdddiesi
and the cry spreads like an electric
flash through the startled camp the foe
is in front, and that the hour of battle
is now at hand. ..
Oh! then it is that the heart and the
brain of the soldier are pierT ell with the
wild woe of war. Then it is that the
courage spirit wakes or. wanes. Then il
IS that valor begins to totter if the sure
props are not there. Then it is that the
soldier begins to think; and when he
begins to Think, he often begins to
dread; and when he begins to dread,
fear soon follows. ...
In the moments between the first
bugle blast or drum beat and the vision
of the enemy in front the soldier has
time for reflection; and thought has al
ways been prolific source of fear or
reluctance to go into danger. Many
tragedies have been the result of men
not thinking or rejecting upon conse-
quences. And with the soldier-when
there comes the vision of home and wife
or child or other loved ones, when the
vision of these come and remain be.
tween a man and prospective death-he
always fingers over the images upon the
: heart mirrors; and he shrinks from the
separation of the grave, even if he does
not exhibit cowardice.
1t is not merely a conscience that
makes towards of us all; but in the work
ings of the brain otherwise, when men
have the time to think, they turn away
from the dangers that are in front tc
the loved that are behind them; ant
then comes, as have said, the dread o
that something hereafter SO keenly fel
and acknowledged by Hamlet.
But as soon as the soldier gets up un
der the enemys fire; as soon as b,
finds he is being shot at, and the op
portunity is given him to return the
fire; as soon as he sees the real enemy
in his front, and the battle is upon hin
then it is that all the trouble and al
the dread of battle are over with tina
soldier who has any of the elements o
manhood in him. Then the man natu
rally wants to return the fire; thel
comes the bending of the energies 70
1he assault upon the foe; then the ynrn
ing for the fire and the advance. One
in the din and flame and roar of tn
conflict there is no time to think of con
sequences-no time for thoughts of tn
60, in, ha ,1,t.nn 4,
home; the only consuming passion thel
is how to get Mt the enemy and punis
him-and hence the rush and the shout
the incarnation of resolve, that alway
characterizes the charge, the on to vic
tory or death.
Once in the fire and tumult of tn
struggle, with the battle spirit fillin
: and thrilling every sense; when tn
soldier hears and sees and feels an
| smells, tasting even the sulphurou
| tba, ir hot ha n