Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1891-06-04
TAKING THE FORT.

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dark man, of harsh, repelling aspect.
He had been private soldier, and had
won his cross and epaulets upon the
field of battle. His voice, which was
hoarse and feeble, contrasted strangely
with his gigantic stature, This voice OF
his he owed, as was told, to bullet
which had passed completely through
his body at the battle of Jena.
On learning that had just come from
college at Fontainebleau, he remarked
with wry face, "My lieutenant died
last night"
l understood what he implied-s'It is
for you to take his place, and you are
good for nothing
A sharp retort was on my tongue, but
l restrained it.
The moon was rising behind the re-
doubt of Cheverino, which stood two
cannon shots from our encampment.
The moon was large and red, as is com
mon at her rising; but that night she
seemed to me of extraordinary size. For
an instant the redoubt stood out coal
black against the glittering disk. 1t re-
sembled the cone Of a volcano at the
moment of eruption.
An old soldier, at whose side I found
myself, observed the color Of the moon.
"She is very red," he said. "It is
sign that it will cost us dear to win this
wonderful redoubt.n
was always superstitious, and this
piece of augury, coming at that mo-
ment, troubled me. sought my couch,
but could not sleep. | rose and walked
about awhile, watching the long line OF
fires upon the heights beyond the village
of Cheyerino.
When the sharp night air had thor
oughly refreshed my blood went back
to the fire. I rolled my mantle round
me, and / shut my eyes, trusting not to
open them till daybreak. But sleep re-
fused to visit me. Insensibly my thoughts
grew doleful. told myself that ! had
not friend among the hundred thou
sand men who filled that plain If ]
were wounded I should be placed in hos |
pital in the hands of ignorant and care
less surgeons. | called to mind what
had heard Of operations. My heart beat
violently, and / mechanically arranged
as kind Of rude cuirass my handker- /
chief and pocketbook upon my breast. |
Then, overpowered with WEAKNESS, my
eyes closed drowsily, only to open the
next instant with start at some new
thought Of horror.
Fatigue, however, at last gained the
day. When the drums beat at daybreak
| was fast asleep. We were drawn up in
rank. The ron was called, then we
stacked our arms, and everything an
nouneed that we should pass another
uneventful day.
But about o'clock an aid-de-camp
arrived with orders. We were COM
manded to take arms.
Our sharpshooters marched into the
plain. We followed slowly, and in
twenty minutes we saw the outposts OF
the Russians falling back and entering
the redoubt. We had battery of ar
tillery on our right, another on our left,
but both some distance in advance Of us.
They opened sharp fire upon the enemy,
who returned it briskly, and the redoubt
of Cheverino was soon concealed by vol
umes of thick smoke.
Our regiment was almost covered from
the Russians fire by a piece of rising
ground. Their bullets (which besides
were rarely aimed at us, for they pre-
ferred to fire upon our cannoneers) wh;s-
tied over us, or at worst knocked up
shower Of earth and stones
Just as the order to advance was given,
the captain looked at me intently. ]
stroked my sprouting mustache with an
air of unconcern-in truth. was not
frightened, and only dreaded lest I might
be thought SO. These passing bullets
aided my heroic coolness, while my self
respect assured me that the danger was
a real one, since was veritably under
fire. | was delighted at my self posses
sion, and already looked forward to the
pleasure of describing in Partisan draw
ing rooms the capture of the redoubt of
Cheverino.
The colonel passed before our company
"Well, " he said to me, "you are going TO
see warm work in your first action"
gave martial smile and brushed my
cuff, on which bullet which had struck
the earth at thirty PAGES distant had cast
a little dust
1t appeared that the Russians had dis
covered that their bullets did no harm,
for they replaced them by fire of shells
which began to reach us in the hollows
where we lay. One of these in its ex-
plosion knocked off my shake and killed
a man beside me.
81 congratulate you" said the captain
as picked up my shake. You are safe
now for the day."
knew the military superstition which
believes that the axiom s'non bis in idem"
is as applicable to the battlefield as to
courts of justice. replaced my shake
with a swagger
'sTha$'E rride way to make one raise
ones hat" | said, as hgnny as could.
And this wretched piece Of wit was, in
the circumstances, received as excellent.
81 compliment you," said the captain.
'tYou will command a company tonight,
for ! shall not survive the day. Every
time have been wounded the officer be-
low me has been touched by some spent
ball, and" he added in lower tone,
"all the names began with p"
ldugneu skeptically; most people
would have done the same; but most
would also have been struck, as | was,
by these prophetic words. But, con-
script though I was, I felt that could
trust my thoughts to no one, and that it
was my duty to seem always calm and
bold.
At the end Of half an hour the Russian
fire had sensibly diminished. We left
our cover to advance on the redoubt.
Our regiment was composed Of three
battalions. The second had to take the
enemy in flank; the two others formed
the. storming party. I was in the third.
On issuing from behind the cover we
were received by several volleys, which
did but little harm. The whistlinc OF