The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-08-18
spirits, silence had healed the blows of

sound
Without sound of warning an explo-
sion shook the ground, trayerslng the
ranks like an electric shock and bringing
them to the color line in alarm, but not
confusion. Before the lines could be
rectified a binding flash directly in front
lit up a rolling canopy OF smoke and
brought into sharp silhouette gun in
recoil and cannoniers, struck IN position
like the flash picture of a camera. The
momentary vision was followed by a
heavy defamation and the wind OF shell
beat the mems faces as it whirled close
over their heads While it's rasping
shrek was still in their ears a fierce COM
mand from a battery just in the rear of
the regiment sent officers and men to the
ground without questioning it's authority,
and the discordant notes of its savage
compliments, flying over their backs to
greet the unreasonable intruder was just
then sweeter to the ear than the music
of the spheres. One round settled the
fate of heavy field piece that had been
pushed down from the woods in adj
vance of a surprise party, and by some
blunder in the darkness. prematurely
opened and as it proved, closed the
attack. Further attempts to "catch a
nap' were useless Loving briarwoods
comforted those who still retained hardy
stomachs... Little groups compared ex-
periences of the day and planned cam
paigns bristling with strategy for the
morrow Others wrapped the drapery OF
their blankets about them and acted
we'll the stoic's part land the chilling
wintry night wore slowly on When the
shadows lifted from the plain an up
turned field piece marked the near APP
proach and nproftablesresult OF the
midnight sortie
Up in front of the regiment square
of trees dropped down from the woods
Il Il. Il 1-no aI1t1 y-i1,r
battalion closed in mass, and where a
gentle curve joined it to the main line an
old wood road wound up between stately
trees whose branches arched pathway
that might have led to temple of peace,
so far as hostile presence had been vlsl-
ble Memories of other woodland byWays
drew longing eyes to the picturesque
the branching aisles with ferns ana
spreading carpets of rustling leaves and
velvet moses. The distant rattle became
the chatter of frisking squirrels, and
the nearer hum was the trlu of
the wood thrush. Even the murky
air took on woodsy scents TOR the
moment-ard then a violent transi-
tion towards wars crude alarms.
And now as the stars slowly paled a
beam Of rudy light pierced the purple
darkness that banked the wood and dis
closed busy crowd heaping earth on a
half finished lunette clrcled the sylvan
VISTA The stoics in their blankets de-
clared there was only colony of ants
repairing their broken fences, but when.
broadening day revealed the gaping muz-
zle of a wide-lnouthed cannon .peerlng
over the breastwork, hardly point blank
away, their dangerous import prevailed.
Turning to the battery for comfort,
every cannoneer was seen at his post, but
only the alert bearing of mounted
officer with field glass in poise, indicated
that the new peril had been noticed.
The work on the hill was closing up
when a quiet order caused the regiment
to break files in front of u single piece.
A Union shell flashed through like a
meteor. Keen eyes followed it's track
of wrath and saw puff of smoke break
out near the base of the earth work.
1t seemed to lift bodily and while a.
whirling cloud of earth and implements
and men closed the view, muffled
boom hoated down to report duty we'll
performed.
1t was now the hour for reyeille, the
soldiers morning call and signal for the
duties of new day to begin. But no
travesty of the nights imperious sum-
mons was permitted, and SO, standing at
arms in silent waiting, the Seventeenth's
first day and night on a battlefield came
to an end.