Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1892-05-05
MORE VENGEFUL THAN WAR.

VI HoOuSJ tuC uldu Ou my l6lb taxes
out his watch and l note the time. II
is exactly 4;30 p. m. The sun is shin.
ing brightly overhead, and yesterday
the old Virginia farmer, too old to 60
into the ranks, was moving in the
west or the woods. The scent of the
hay comes to our nostrils as we march
and more than one hand reaches out
and plucks a leaf from the vine creep
ing along the wall and seeking to
beautify it.
We can see no enemy on our front
as we form battle line under the trees
and pile up bushes, limbs and logs for
brestwork. They will come down
the road if they come, and then we
shall attack them, and at least hold
them in check, no matter if they out
number US five to one. A crack battery
has moved with US, and the artilleries
are impatient to get to work. Off on
my right the fight is hot. The earth
under the conclusion of the field pieces
and the spiteful crackle of musketry
reminds one of the onward sweep of
great forest FIRE.
What has happened? Has the sun
already gone to rest, and is this tw;-
light creeping over the field of battle?
Men look up and about them. The
bright sunshine has suddenly dissap-
peared. We are clear of the smoke
here, though it hangs like pail over
the brigade on our right. We are
still gazing and wandering, when
there comes deep and hollow rumb-
ling, which can be painfully heard
above all other noises.
"lt's thunder stormr' whispers
man after man, and looking to the
southwest we see black cloud hang.
ing almost over our heads.
Down here is the vengeance of
man; up there is the wrath of God.
It's greenish black cloud-lts center
as black as midnight and its outer
edges fr;nged with green which re-
minds you of the eyes of an infuriated
and desperate animal about to battle
for its life, and more.
"Steady, men-steady Right dress,
there!"
From out of the very center of that
forbdding cloud there suddenly leap
ed sheet of fame so bright that ev-
cry eye was dazzled and a thousand
men started IN alarm. The lines were
scarcely restored when there came a
crash as if a thousand shells had ex-
ploded at once and hundreds of men
cried out in terror. Strange enough!
We are here to die. Down on the right
5000 men have yielded up their lives
and 5000 more are groaning with
their wounds. Should we dread the
tbunderbolt O: heaven more than the
murderous missels forged by man?
Flash! Cringel Cry out!
A tongue of flame shot out as if to
lick up the five acres OF woodland and
the thousand men hiden undder the
trees. Scores OF men let their mus.
kets and raised their hands to their
h!esched faces. Scores Of others wheel
ed in their tracks as If to fly. The
long line was undulating like a great
serpant creeping over the rocks, when
the earth seemed to rise up and there
came crash which threw men to
their knees. A thunderbolt bad struck
tree at the head of our line, and
the twelve men nearest it fell like
logs. Four were dead before they
touched the earth.
Flannel Crash! Panic!
Had 5000 Of the enemy come
marching down the road and charged
us in masse there would have been no
such great confusion as this. Veterans
of dozen battles are pressing back,
and the officers are palefaced as they
hourished their swords and shoutand
curse to estore the lines. Another tree
has been rent and riven-more men
| utN0 D6eu SUI uCA uVWu'
The battery is in front Of us. They
are trying to bring the horses up to
drag the guns away from under the
tall trees, but the spirited animals,
every one Of them familiar with the
roar of the battle, are utterey demor-
allied and seeking to escape. They
rear and plunge and kick and utter
sht;ll peighs, and they cannot be con-
trolled.
Flash! Flame! Roar!
Not q tree this time, but caisson full
of ammunition. A thuuderbolt shot
out OF the black heavens as straight
as an arrow and swifter than thought
had struck this terrible target. A
great mass of flames shot up into the
tree-tops, withering aud burning
there is an explosion which blows men
off their feet, and then death reaches
out his skeleton fingers and touches
man after man until he has l6 more
victims. His work is not concluded
when the foodgate of heven are open
ed, and the rain pours down IN de-
iuge. AS if the word Of command had
been given, the lines fall back carrying
officers before them, and halt not until
clear of the dangerous trees. Then we
huddled together like sheepi in a storm
half blinded by the continuous flashes
and half drowned by the continuous
downpour, and there is never a man
of US who has not been coward uu-
der the swift and terrible attack of q
foe more vengeful than war.