The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1892-04-07
CHARGING A GUN.
Company "G" Wins a Page in
the Records of War.
Sensations of a Soldier at the
CannOn'S Mouth.

Our brigade is being held in reserve
and is protected by the lay of the
ground from the enemy's fire. Shell
and round shot have screamed and
whizzed over our heads, and the
"pingI" Of bullets has been as con-
slant as if bees were swarming about
us. Here and there man has gone
down or been touched in way to
make him scream out, but the loss has
been trifling. The real fighting is all
on our right. Those men down there
in the flame and smoke are nearer
death than we are, but they have the
excitement of action to make theh
reckles of the fact. Here we stand
in lines waiting - faces growing a
little paler all the time - men trying
to est and joke to conceal their real
feelings.
"Scream! Shrek Crash!"
It's rifle shell bursting just bey ond
us, and it comes from new direction.
The enemy has quietly planted gun
on the bush-covered ridge in way to
enfilade the right of our brigade.
"Boom! Shrek! Death!"
That shot was better-better for
the enemy, because fragments of the
shell wounded three men. The
brigadier-general and his staff are
alive to the situation. An order
comes to our colonel.
A minute later we got the order
from our captain:
"Attention, Company G! Right
dress Shoulder-armsI Left face!
Forward-march!"
What have we been detached from
theiregiment for? We move out by
the flank along the line of an old fence
for few rods and come to "halt!"
and "right face" We can now see
the gun on the ridge. 1t has fret
again and again, and every shell is
striking men down.
"Company G, we are going to
charge that gun and take it'll" shouts
our little captain from the head of the
line.
There are sc men of us all told-a
little better than half company. The
captain does not call for volunteers;
he does not announce that towards
can step three PAGES to the rear. He
would not insult men who were with
him at Williamsburg, Yorktown, Fair
Oaks, Malvern Hill and elsewhere.
How far is it to the gun? Not over
half mile-perhaps not that far. 1t
is down a rough slope-across a swale
up second slope, in which rocks out
crop and bushes grow here and there.
"Scream! Scream! Screaml
They are working the gun as if its
fire was to decide the fate of the bat
tle Those we have left behind are
watching lis, and viii be our critics.
If we succeed, those who return alive
VIII be heroes until some other
forlorn hope eclipses our record. If
we fail!
"Forward-guide rightW
We are making an easy start. We
Step out at common time" every ell
bow touching the man on The right,
and there is tremendous cheer from
the brigade as we go down the slope.
| am looking straight ahead. l doubt
if any man in that line even giimpsed
to the right or left. | am wondering
when that gun will be turned upon us;
so, doubtless, is every other man.
Our alignment is perfect until we
reach the swale. Then it is broken as
we meet the tall, dry grass and weeds
ana the scruoby Dusnes.
"Haltl Right dress!"
It's our little captain reforming
The line as for u parade. Three
thousand men are watching us
and applauding. We shall
lose him. He will be made major
for this.
"Forward-guide centerp
We are ascending a slope. Our
line was never more steady on the |
parade ground. The man on my
right chuckles to himself; the ore on
my left is struggling to repress the
cheer rising in his throat. EXultation
las replaced all other feeling.