The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1892-02-17

Charging a Gun.

| Our brigade is Delng neld 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 "ping" of bullets
has been "a constant as if bees were
swarming about us. Here and there a
man has gone down or been touched in
way to make him scream out, but the
loss has been trihng. The real fight
| ing IL all on our right. Those men
| down there in the fl lame and smoke are
nearer d a'h than we are, but they
have the excitement of action to make
them reckless of the fact. Here we
stand in lines waiting-faces growing
little paler all the time-men trying
to jest and joke to conceal their real
feelings.
"Screaml Shrek Crashl"
It's a rifle shell bursting Just beyond
us, and it comes from new direction.
The enemy has quietly planted gun
on the Undiscovered ridge in way to
enflade the right of our brigade.
"Booml Shriekl Deathl"
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 COL
onel.
A minute later we got the order from
our captain:
Attention, Company G Right dress |!
Shouder-armsl Left facet Forward
marchl"
What have we been detached from
the regiment for? We move out by the
flank along the line of an old fence for
few rods and come to "haltl" and
fright face" We can now see the gun
on the ridge. 1t has fred again and
again, and every shell is striking men
down.
Company G., we are going to charge
that gun and take itl'' shouts our little
captain from the head of the line.
There are fifty.six men of us all told
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 Will
liamsburg, Yorktown, Fair Oaks, NAL
vern Hill and elsewhere.
How far is it to the gun? Not over
half mile-perhaps not that far. 1t
is down rough slope-across swale-
up second slope, in which rocks out
crop and bushes grow here and there.
"Screaml Scream Screaml"
They are working the gun as if its
fire was to decide the fate of the battle.
Those we have left behind are watch
ing US, and will be our critics. If we
succeed, those who return alive will be
heroes until some other forlorn hope
eclipses our record. If we fail
Forward-guide right"
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.
l am looking straight ahead l doubt
if any man in that line even glimpsed
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
and the scrubby bushes.
Halt! Right dress!"
It's our little captain reforming the
line as iffor parade. Three thousand
men are watching us-cheering and APP
plauding. We shall lose HIM. He will
be made major for this.
"Forward-guide center"
We are ascending slope. Our line
was never more steady on the parade
ground. The man on my right chuck
les to himself; the one on my left is
struggling to repress the cheer rising in
his throat. Exultation has replaced all
other feeling.
O-o-o-o! Scream! Shriekl Swish!"
The artillery men have caught sight
OF us at last and that shell just cleared
our heads and exploded on the other
slope.
Double-quick-guide on center
charged" shouts our little captain, and
now we cheer and cheer and charge.
Another shell-but it missed us.
Bullets from revolvers sing about us-a
mighty cheer comes to our ears from
the brigade left behind-and now we
drive into the smoke around the gun.
1t had infantry upport-perhaps
company-and the gunners fought us
hand to hand. There was hurrahing-
cursing-yells of pain and screams of
agony - blows with the saber and
thrusts with the bayonet, and when we
awoke from the nightmare the gun
was ours and regiment was moving
up to hold the position we had won.
l did not look back as we moved down
past the support to rejoin our own regi-
ment in reserve. There was no need
to. | knew the sight which would have
greeted my eyes. | waited for the roll
call after we had returned. Nineteen
dead and wounded out of fifty-six! Over
a third of our command left on that spot!
Butwe were Observation-Disclosures shook
our hands-Company sc had won
for itself page in the records of war;