The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1892-04-30

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the country highway and take up = posi-
ton in the triangular piece Of woods, the
man on my left takes out his watch and I
note the time. 1t is exactly 4 80 p. m. The
sun 10 shining brightly overhead. and yes
terday the old Virginia farmer, too old to
go into the ranks, was moving in the mea-
dow to the uest Of the woods. The scent
of the hay comes to our postri!s - we
march, and more than one hsnd reaches
ont and plucks leaf from the vine creep
ing along to the old stone wall and seek
ing to beautify it.
We can zee no enemy on our front a.
10 form battle line under the trees and
pile up bushes, limbs and logs for breast
work. They will come down the road II
they come, and then We shall enfilade
them and at least hold them in check, no
matter II they outnumber US FIVE to one.
A crack battery has moved with Us, and
tho artilleryists are impatient to get to
work. OF on my right the fight is hot
one. The earth under our feet troubles
under the conclusion of the field pieces,
and the spiteful crackle Of musketry re-
minds one of the onward sweep Of q
great forest fire.
What has happened3 Has the sun al.
ready gone to rest. and is this the twi-
light creeping over the field of battle2
Men look up and about them. The
bright sunshine has suddenly disappeared.
we are clear of the smoke here, though it
hangs like pail over the brigade on our
right, We are still gazing and wonder
ing, when there comes deep and hollow
rumbling which can he plainly heard
above all other noises.
"It's thunder stormv' whispers man
after man, and looking to the southwest
we see great black cloud hanging al
most over our heads. aW
Down here is the vengeance of man; up
there the wrath of God. 1t is greenjsh
black cloud-its center is as black as
midnight and its outer edges fringed with
a green which reminds you of the eyes of
an Infatuated and desperate animal about
to battle for its life and more.
"Steady, men steady! Right dress,
thercw ~
From out of the very center of that
forbidding cloud there suddenly leaped
a sheet of flame so bright that every eye
was dazzled and thousand men started
In alarm. The lines we're scarcely re-
stored when there came q crash as if
thousand shells had exploded at once,
and hundreds of men cried out in terror.
Strange enoughi We are here to die.
Down on tho right 5000 men have yielded
up their lives, and 5000 more are groan-
ing with their wounds. Should We dread
tho thunderbolts of heaven more than
the murderous missiles forged by the
hand Of mani
Fiashl Cringe! Cry QUIT
A tongue of fame shot out as if to lick
up tho I've acres Of woodland and the
thousand men hiding under the trees.
Scores OF men let fall their muskets and
raised their hands to their blanchcd faces.
Scores of others wheeled about in their
tracks as il to fly. The long line was un-
dulating like q great serpent creeping
over rocks, when the earth seemed
10 rise up and there came crash which
threw men to their knees. A thunder
bolt bad struck tree at the head of our
line. and the twelve men nearest it fell
Ike logs. Four were dead before they
touched the earth.
Planet Crash! Psnicl
Had 5000 Of the enemy come marching
down the road and charged US en- masse
,here would have been no such confusion
a. this. Veterans of dozen battles are
pressing back, and the officers are pale.
faced 90 they flourish their swords and
shout and curse to restore the lines. An.
other tree has been rent and riven-more
men have been struck down.
The battery 10 In front of us. They
are trying to bring the horses up TO carry
the guns away from under the tall trees
but the spirited animals, every one Of
them familiar with the roar Of battle
are utterly demoralized and seeking tc
escape. They rear and plunge and kick
and utter shrill neighs, and they cannot
be controlled.
Flash! Flame! Roari
Not tree this time, but caisson full
Of ammunition. A thunderbolt shot out Of
the black heavens as straight as an arrow
swifter than thought and struck this and
terrible target. A great mass of flame
shoots up into the tree tops, whitening
and burning-there is an explosion which
blows men of their feet, and then DEATH
reaches out bis skeleton fingers and
touches man after man until he ha.
sixteen more victims. His work is no
concluded when the foodgstes of HEAVIER
arc opened and the rain poured down il
a deluge. AS if the word of command
had been given, the lines fall back, carry
ing officers before them, and halt not un
I'll clear of the dangerous trees. Their
We huddle together like sheep in storm
half blinded by the continued flashes ant