The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-06-12
AFTER 4 B.i1TLE.
The Horrors of IA struggle Realised After
the Armies Have Abandoned tho Field.

the Armies Have Abandoned tho Field.
The beginning Of battle. unless brought on
by accident. rs 1t were. reminds one of mourn
ers standing about an open grave in n ceme-
terry waiting for tho clods OF earth to fall upon
the coffin. Tho cool. deliberate way in which
troops are moved and batteries placed in posi-
tion tries your nerve. Men speak to each other
in subdued voices. and the commands OF the
officers are low and stern. regiment is but a
cog in one of the wheels: n division ono Of tho
dozen wheels OF the great machine. You may
now and then catch sight Of the enemy as he
also moves to the right or left or advances. or
you may not see ANYTHING OF him for IN hour
Your brigade is in battle line and has been
sh.rs DOWN S nonc the nYed Pl creek
but you know It only because you saw them go
down across the field. dist4nt cheer comes
mnnder has been nd dressing his troops. Five
minutes later there L. a popl pop! mop! along
ward in battle line. The skirmish"rs are tho
gnats singing TIM IN the elephant, They Kin and
aiding Of fifty men out OF Il division?
Now the field pieces open one after another.
They are to tho right on the hills. but You feel
cruckie Of musketry Is absorbed in the roar OF
the rifed guns, You are pale faced: your chin
aHnlyers ,,:,. your legs are strangely weak You
the slope and you get the command to fire,
The coming of night may end :, battle which
morn. The enemy may have boon beaten and
Irnwn of. We may have been driven. ii. Tie
going down OF the sun and the coming of night
has left victory undecided. thore is u gradual
dying away OF tho roar of the larger guns.
InS s ,rE i six and nine Founders keep to
fire Q! musESts. Witch has been eont s
until there Is only u suien spater. a as 'f from
tho wick Of u capkle touched with water. The
there the pickets will fire into the darkness at
intervals. and guns and troops will DO moved
But il, is only after the batte,--after both
armies have abandoned the feld-that you
realize the horror Of struggle where 200 900
flank is distance of. say nine miles Both
Hanks were aeid Iy eaynIry The line ran
rounding farmhouses. Everywhere along
this front are dead and wounded mon. dead
swords; muskets and accoutrements. Here
in this hazel thirketa dozen MORALLY wounded
plum tree shading the waters of the brook are
score 81 wounded men. some OF whom left
trails trail "f blood as they drew th.mseyeT along
thirsted MS never before. Thereur dead men
among anon the rnening wheat on the sterile hill,
are lowering. among the red and white holly
hqcks Of the inrmsr,S garden.
aS Te s to Ss 4o n FPs and ndsp ho
wounded are gathered in. Blood driDs from
their wounds rs they arc carried uong-blood
bushcs-tlood until you turn your eyes to tho
blue sky to forget its color. Men are carried
pastyou who seem to he dead: others groan in
agony; others stu cry out ana curse at the
SaElaritGns OF the battlefield.
And OF tho dead Right here where they lie
in winrows, somo across each other. Il brigade
tried to drive itself into our centre as wedge.
and was almost wiped out Of existence by
grapcshot. canister. and bullet. Further to
the lett We una them only at intervals and not
SO near our lines Over the liil and on ench
side Of tho dusty highway we come upon them
by scores again.. Hero we had II battery and
halt y brigade charged out Of the woods to
take it! Standing here YOU can soc dead men
dotting the ground to tho very edge of the
forest. Tho guns were turned upon them AS
soon rs they appeared. aud the fire. WAS muir,
derous. Here l. where they were checked and
shattered and driven back ny the volleys Of
the infantry in support Of the guns. II there
were any wounded among tho dead they have
crawl =, away.
And here lust in the edge of the orchard. the
earth : almost hidden by the dead and wound
deep well to tho wounded-the dead await
burial alone. Here was u hanl-to.hand fight
over two field pieces. We're they worth 200
livcs: And as the guns limhered up and
of he excited horses were planted on the faces
of dead mcn--On tho breasts OF men crying
out with their wounds-and tho heavy wheels
iolowr inter TO grind human flesh into earth
been dug IN tho hillside overlooked 10y peach
trees. and We gather up the dend on tho sec
ton assigned to us and place hem side by
side. There is on!ya brief search after idcn-
Friends in these trenches foes IN those over
there. SO let them he covered into sleep until
tho last trumpet calls known or unknown.
what matters 1t to them2