Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1892-01-07
WAN "Reminiscences.
TERRIBLE SUSPENSE.

The Feelings of soldier while Awaiting
orders TO Enter Battle.
Since the sun came up this morning
we have been marching and counter
marching. forming a battlefront four
miles long. II is now ten o'clock We
were ready here on the left wing before
they were on the right, but all are
ready now.
So long as we were moving there was
something TO distract attention, but
now comes the test of waiting-of
suspense. Away over there we can
see the columns OF the enemy wheel
ing into position-banners ripping
artillery moving with horses under the
lash There is going 10 be a fierce
grapple here These scattered trees
win be rent and riven-these acres Of
green grass torn up-that babbling
brook change the color Of its waters be-
for the sun passes its zenith
Men draw a long breath TO fill their
lungs before putting forth all their
strength in one great effort. Armies
do the same This is the long breath
before the clash comes.
Watch the horses as the feld-pieces
come galloping up. They are looking
across the valley ct the enemy, their
eyes blazing and their ears working
Every one is in trembie Is the teams
are unhitched and led away 10 the shell
ter of the ravine. They know what is
coming. and the waiting unneryes
them. There is ''Old John" as the
boys call him. He has been in half
dozen fights and he has three or four
battle scars, but he is just as nervous
as if he had never heard gun fred.
See how his nostrils culver! Watch the
blaze of his eyes. What a painting he
would make as he stands there with
head and tail erect and every nerve
a-quiver.
The officers voices CRATE harshly as
they jerk out their commands of Dress
more to the right Front there!"-
Cease that talking" They are officers
but they are men. The exploding shells
and the tipping bullets are meant for
them as well as Us, and they are also
fighting against the terror of suspense.
Our colonel rides along the line in
front. That is well, but it is bluff
for all that. He's moving to keep his
nerve under control.
Watch the menl There are old vet
Grams here-men who have fought in
every great battle from first Bull Run
to Gettysburg there are recruits
who reached us only three days ago
from the far-away farms and villages.
You see difference, but it is affected.
The old veteran jokes with the men
right and left, sharpens his jack-knife
on the rock in front of him, whistles a
few bars from a rollicl1ing air, to make
you believe that he never felt more Sc
rene in his life. It's mere sham, but
it helps to brace up the pale-faced men
who are to receive their baptism.
"Why don't we move?"
This state of suspense is disorganiz-
ing. Men look wildly to the right and
left-to the rear. There are no towards
here, but it would take very little to
start panic and rush. Men still
laugh, but it is mocl1ery. They jest,
but they scarcely hear their own words
Look at that recruit! He's a sturdy
young farmer who was sharpening his
scythe in the bayfield, three weeks
ago. He has the strength of an OK, and
no man ever looked in his face and put
him down as faint-hearted. Twenty
minutes ago he would have swept for
ward with us to charge battery and
hurrahed with excitement Suspense
has snapped his courage and unnerved
him. See him tremble! Note his pale
ness! Now there comes look of ter
ror and desperation to his eyes, and be-
fore any one could stop him -!
What He has sent a bullet into his
head from his own musket-killed him
self through sheer terror of waiting to
be killed by the enemy! We saw it
whenever we waited. We rose from
bivouac many morning in the pres
ence of the enemy to stumble against
the corpses of comrades hanging to
limbs-driven to suicide because their
nerves broke down under the strain OF
suspense.-M. Quad, in N. Y. World.