Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1892-02-27

Hooker was trying to drive jackson
at Antietem. Ii was one Of the myster-
les Of war that he did not annihilate
him and then take Lee in flank. We
outnumbered him. and we extended our
lines until only u skirmish line of gray
opposed Us, but on no field Of battle in
the whole war did the Coufederates
fight so fiercely. 1t seemed as if every
single company had been told to hold
its ground until the last man was
wiped out. We breasted upto the gray
lines time after time, but they would
not give back. They faced rs and
died. If they lost rod Of ground they
charged back and recovered two.
| remember how the corn waved and
rustled as we pushed through il that
day-how the sillfen tassels became
detached and hoated into our faces
like spider-webs on dewy summer, ;
morning. They were waiting for us
the men who had come up from Har-
per's ferry without halt-foot-s
hungry, thirsty, but ready 20 die to save
Lees left wing. They made never a
halt to moisten their parchcd threats at
the wells Of Sharpsburg never q halt
for the laggards to come up. Lee was
in danger, and old StonewalI rode at
their head. The politicians simply
slur them. Those who breasted up
against them on the battlefield re-
member only how gallantly they died.
At first scattering hre-a man fall
ing out here and there. The pop. pop.
pop! increases in rapidly it be-
comes a continual roar here comes
the command to charge, There is a
cheer-a rush-and we are checked.
Men cannot dodge bullets. but we
dodge as they zip and spit, and whistle
by our ears. A storm of bullets can
not be breasted like a gale Of wind
laden with snowhalles, but we bend
our heads and advance.
What is it? Why am / lying on the
ground? Is the fight over that the din
Of battle has 50 nearly died away? /
wonder and wonder. 1t is like waking
out Of a sound slumber. Now / know
what it is-I'm hit. 4 bullet has
crashed into my shoulder, spun me
around like a top, aud then dashed me
10 the earth in a heap Men struck
that way lose consciousness for min
ute or two. The roar swclls ont again:
I hear men cursing and cheering, and I
finally understand that our lines have
been driven back. lift my head for a
hasty look around and / find that /
have lots of company. The dead and
wounded are as numerous as corn-hills.
bullet in the shoulder is nothing.
A pint or two Of blood lost from the
body is of no account. / turn over.
seize dead man by the arm and pull
myself up, but everything dances before
my eyes and sink down in heap. II
isn't the wound itself, but the shock Of
the nervous system. I've seen a six
footer drop in heap and cry like a
woman because bullet had made one
of his fingers an inch shorter. and he
was never charged with being cow
ard, either.
There is no such thing as time ON
battlefield. A General may watch its
flight, but a private soldier has no
thought oft. The sun may have been
at the meridian when the battle was
opened. All Of a sudden he is amazed
that the orb has gone from sight. lie
had fought on, giving no heed 10 time.
Only half conscious only half realiz-
ing that / was hit by and by felt the
cool breezes of evening and lost the
glare Of the sun. Some one gave me
water, but felt too dreamy To open nv
eyes. Some one pulled a dead man off
my legs a wounded comradc who had
crept over 10 me in search of water and
died. But ] did not open my eyes;
could not. IL seemed as ifgreat weights
had been placed on my cyelids to keep
them shut. There was babel Of sounds
around me, but heard only one voice.
That sounded miles away, as IL said:
Now, then, you all be mighty keer-
full how you tote that boy, for he's been
powerfully hit. Needn't mind me 50