The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1893-06-07
The Tremor OF Battle.

In the last year of the war, when i'm
mense bounties were offered and the
draft forced men into the army, the COW.
ard was caught in the net with the brave
man, but for the first two years cowardice
in the face of the enemy Was thing
unknown. The coward knew himself
and refused to enlist. He did not appear
until forced to by avarice or the provost
marshsl. Then he vas an object of pity
as we'll as of contempt.
The tremor of battle is 9 queer, strange
thing. Had it not been so general it
would have been mistaken for cewar-
dice. It came not only with the first
battle, but with the second, third, fourth
with each and every one down to the
last. The veteran IVES afflicted as strong.
ly as the raw recruit-the officer as well
as the private. And yet men knew not
of themselves that they were afflicted.
They saw it in others-others saw it in
them.
Here is regiment of cavalry on the
left. On our right is battery, with in.
fantry supports lying down. Beyond the
battery infantry are lying behind 8
breastwork. Beyond .hem there is heavy
fighting. We have been sitting on our
horses for an hour or more. We have
lost FIVE or six men and as many horses
by stray hullets and fragments of shell.
When We were wheeled into position
here men were jsking and laughing.
We haze not been under fire, but the
suspense has been esting away at the
nerves. We know why we are here.
The enemy's right flank is opposite Us,
sheltered ty the woods. It is flank
against flank. We are watching each
other. The horses catch the tremor first.
They clamp their bits and foam at tho
mouth. They toss their heads and paw
the earth. The sweat starts out on the
neck, the eye of every animal has q sui.
len, baleful look, and here and there q
horse either tries to lie down or rears up
and paws the air. We speak to them
soothingly and kindly and stroke their
necks. A dig of the spurs would render
them uncomfortable. A harsh word
might excite them to fury.
am not afraid. This is my ninth
battle. 1 have been twice wounded. I
have been promoted for bravery in the
face of the enemy. If the colonel should
ask me to ride to the rear with an order
I would beg that someone else be select
ed. And yet, am apparently suffering
that mental and physical agony endured
by constitutional coward. My teeth
chatter. My chin quivers. I feel SO
weak In the knees that I know should
fall down if out of the saddle. I am
trembling from head to heel, and my
breathing is hoarse and labored. Is 1t
fear? No. 1t does not occur to me that
am in the slightest danger. The sus.
pense has simply relaxed my nerves, and
my mind cannot control them. The
trooper on my right is as pale.faced as a
dead mantle one on my left shakes
like man with the ague. 1t is so with
sll the others. We are awaiting. 1t is
the suspense.
"Attention !"
Ah Il that's relief 10 both meu aud
horses A body of tho enemy's cavalry
appears on the edge of the forest. Each
man draws long breath. The suspense
is broken
"Draw saber !"
Better and better! My teeth no longer
chatter, but find my jaws hard shut.
The fingers gripping the hilt of my saber
have found their strength. I can feel
my horse pulling himself together under
me.
"Forward-trot %
At last we have something to do!
The enemy are forming to charge the
battery. We are moving out to fall upon
him. The terror has vanished. / feel
the strength of giant in my sword arm,
and my horse moves as if on springs.
"Gallop-charge- -hurrah-ran p
Five minutes ago one might have look
ed us over and decided that We were q
regiment of poltroons waiting for 8
chance to bolt to the rear. There are
no laggards as We charge. Every man is
using the spur-every voice cheering.
We are laundering on to certain death
for sorae, but there is no fear-no care.
With naked sabers flashing in the cloud
of dust-with every horse at full gallop
with every trooper bending forward in
his saddle, we strike the enemy as wave
rushes against a shore, and only brave
men will be lying dead when the melee
ia ended. Afraid? Why man, those OF
us who return to the flank curse the
enemy that he did not give us . longer
6ght-curse our own officers for checking
the pursuit before it led US into ambush
and apnihilation That was to be ex'
pected. Tremor comes before the charge
-exultation after it. The soldier has no
control over either.-DstroI Free Press.