Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1893-11-23
ON THE sKIRMIsH LINE.
The Hard Fighting That Is Done by the
Advance Gunrd.

We get the word and deploy in front
of the regiment-a line of men from
ten to fifteen feet apart-and advance
across the old field. We know where
the enemy is-in the green woods on
the far side There is fear that he is
massing brigade there. and that the
first seen Of him win be line Of battle
sweeping across the field We know
where his sliirmishers are-behind the
fringe of bushes on the other side Of
the creek half a mile in our front
over the fcHce-aeross the level
down the slope, and ping! zippl pingl
come the bullets from the hidden Skin
mishers. An! Il man down-two or
three eff theml If dead we can do them
no good; II only wounded they must
crawl away 70 the rear or lie quivering
and grooming in some Of the hoilows
until we are relieved. Car side of the
creek also has - fringe Of bushes, and
al intervals there are rocks and logs
and stumps. Like cats we creep for.
ward-liiEe cats we crouch behind cover
aild peer ever logs or to the right or
let Of tho rocks.
Pop. Pop Zipp Zippl Thud! Thud,'
A hundred men on each side are
blazing away, and the heavy bullets.
fred almost at random, strike the logs
and sinmps with muifie1 thud. or
smash against the rocks to be tiattencd
like waters AMI drop into the grass.
That bullet was fred by an old veteran
| almost felt the burn Of it as it
whizzed by my check That one was
fired by recruit, who is probably on
the sisirlnish line for the FIRST time. II
was nj least twenty feet above my
head drening like huge bamblebee.
and ii will fan among the troops far to
our rear. Who uttered that scream?
The man on my right is safe-the one
on my left has turned on his back His
cap has fallen off and there is blood on
his head and face. He is not dead-not
even fatally wounded. A bullet plowesl
his scalp rs he looked out from behind
his cover to find human target for his
bullet, He cried out with the burning
pain, bat he mutters and curses and
seems ashamed of his weakness as he
feels for his handkerchief and binds up
his bleeding head.
The man opposite me IS not over sixty
feet away. but so screened that can
not see him. can judge Of his po-
sition, however, by the line of his fire.
All the bullets which come whizzing by
the rock 70 the right and all those
which smash against it with sound 10
make your teeth grit are from his
mus,Set. Those which cut in from the
left or pass over are random shots lIy
accident | have the captains field
glasses. | draw them from the case,
rub up the lenses and cautiously level
them from the left-hand side of the
rock. For few seconds | can see
nothing but blur of foliage. Then
the details begin to come out. There
is stump among the tangle on the
other banls, and as hold the glasses
on il catch sight of an elbow and
shoulder and a hat A musl<et barrel
is thrust forth and sheet of flame
darts over the creeping blackberry
bushes. and smash comes bullet
against the rock. There is no mercy ~
war From the slSinnish line to the
rush of a division it means cripple OF
kill.
lay down the glasses and pick up
my muslzet. | reach up and pull at the
limbs of bush to form a screen. and
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