The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1892-04-16

coln.'' The soldier replied: ''Pass On to
What conversation occurred between
the youths when they had lain down
again can only be conjectured, but that
the lesson was not lost upon Fred, nor
his friends inestimable services unap-
preciated, after events proved
On May 8, 1864, the army Of the Po-
tornac commenced a forward movement,
and from the 5th TO the 7th, inclusive,
occurred the bloody battles Of the
Wilderness, entailing to- the union
arms loss of nearly twenty thousand
men in Killed, wounded and missing.
Hardly shot had been fired during
the first two days OF the advance, but
on Thursday, May 5, some very heavy
fighting took place, resulting In no de-
cisive advantage to either side: though
the confederates claimed. the greater
number of prisoners
Very early on the morning OF the 9th
the enemy attempted to turn the right
flank of the federal army, held by the
divisions of Gems. Wright and Seymour,
and here our young friends first came
under a hot fire. AS they stood together
in the front rank of the line Of battle,
while the gray battalions rushed fierce
iy on, Herbert glanced anxionsly at
Fred and saw, to his dismay. that his
teeth were chattering and knees shak-
ing in deadly terror.
"Steady, steady, old fellow" he cried
Brace up; you're not going to get
hurt and the next moment a. storm OF
bullets hurled about their ears. This
attack, however, was successfully re-
pulsed as were also two others, made in
The course of the forenoon. and sey~
mour's brigade then gained a good posi-
ton.
BY this time, Fred, finding that he
and Leslie were still untouched, had got
pretty we'll over his nervousness and, to
the latter's delight, fought steadily as
himself.
When evening came, it was supposed
that the days fighting was over, and
the boys in blue were about preparing
supper, but just at nightfan the confed-
crate Gen. Gordon made another dash
at the right flank, surprising and rout-
ing Seymour's and Shaler's brigades
and taking three thousand prisoners,
including Gen. Seymour himself.
In this sudden assault. before which
even old veterans quailed, Herbert Les
lie fought like a lion and held his
ground, through the gathering gloom,
with dauntless courage, until left stand
ing nearly alone in little patch OF
scrub, with the yelling, exultant hordes
almost upon him. Even then he must
not fiy, but threw in another cartridge
and fred once more right in the face OF
his foes. Then, alas! as final scatter
ing volley flashed along their breath
less ranks, the gallant boy fell. Fred
had been early swept away in the tor
rent of fugitives and some time elapsed
before the remnants of Seymour's brig
AIDE were again brought into something
like order by Gen. Sedgwick. More
than one-half of Company c had either
fallen or been made prisoners, yet SO
soon as the shattered fragments were
got together, and it could be ascer-
tanned who were missing, Fred began
to INQUIRE for his friend. But, in the
confused and darkling fight, none Of the
men, now present, had seen Private
Leslie make his last stand, and hence il
was hoped that he might be among the
unhurt prisoners. Fred, however, was
not satisfied, and at his own request
was detailed on one of the fatigue par
ties, sent out to look up and Bring II
the wounded.
It may be that many who read these
pages have taken part in this most sad