The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1892-04-07
Losing His Nerve.

J
terribly unjust to men. He who lost his
nerve as he stood in battle line was at
once stigmatized as coward, aud in
some instances the disgrace followed him
until he yielded up his life on the field.
We did not know the difference between
cowardice and loss of nerve. We had to
learn that es we learned hundred other
hings in war.
Did you ever sec coward in the
ranks? No, not one! A constitutional
coward could not have been induced to
enlist. If drafted into service he deserted,
or his fears made him really i'll and kept
him at the rear. You saw men, and you
SAW them in your own company, who
were stigmatized as towards, but later on
you apologized for your mistake and took
them into companionship again. You
came to realize that the braves! of men
would break down under certain condi-
tions, and that to be found "off," as the
men termed it, was misfortune and not
disgrace.
We are in line at Williamsburg, and
our regiment is on the extreme left. 1t
is our first fight. We were cheering as
we swung into line. Had the order been
given to charge no man would have
thought of death. We have been held in
line for an houh with sharp fighting all
along to the right. We have lost seven
men out of the regiment, and the aus-
pense is unuerving us. Men begin to
look to the right or the left. Faces grow
pale and limbs tremble. If there were a
ditch in front of US half of the regiment
would leap into it. There is wavering
along the lines, and but for the line of
officers in the rear We should retreat as 8
mob. Here is soldier shaking as with the
ague; there is one silently weeping q
third clutches his com rade to hold him :
self up.
Cowards No-not one of them It is
the fault of the officers they have not
yet learned how to hold the men under
fire. They curse at US, but there is a
tremor in every voice, and we feel that
they are also unnerved. 1t looks like
cowardice to see men sink down on their
knees-to SEQ the officers on the right
threatening with their swords-to note
the pale faces and chatteripg teeth, BUTT
is not. Wait
"Forward-.guide right"
All! That's different! See how the
lines dress as they move! Eas anyone
been left grovelling on the grass? Can't
you see the color come back 10 the mems
faces as they step of?
"Now, men-double quick-cbarge |"
Cowards, eh? Hear them cheer
Down 60 the lines with aIush, straight
at the abatis of fallen trees protecting the
enemy's front, and the roll call that night
leaves tenth of The regiment dead and
wounded behind US as proof that we were
not towards. The suspense of waiting
was simply unnerving brave men.
Pickett's Virginiana are sweeping
across the fields Of Gettysburg Oh that
famous charge. We have been waiting
waiting waiting. We have been lying
inactive for two hours, while 200 cannon
have roared and thundered and sent
death among us. See the big Sergeant |!
He is weeping and wringing his hands.
Coward No! He has been in half q
dozen battles, ard his last wound is not
fairly healed. The waiting has unnerved
him. Our Captain has learned his les.
son. He steps forward and pats the Ser
geant on the shoulder and whispers:
"Steady, my man They are coming |!
1t will soon be over! There 60 the guns
on our right Brace up now, for We want
one of those battle flags"
See the change. The big sergesnt's
nerve came back in an instant. Indeed,
he WAS unconscious of the fact that he
had lost it. When the shock came
when the gallant Virginians, whose brave
charge the world will applaud for a
century to come, we're checked by the
merciless musketry 6re-the big Sergeant
dashed forward into the fame and
smoke, and we found him later on,
wounded in TWO places, but sturdily
clinging to the flag he had captured to
the honor of his company and regiment.
NJ. QUAD.