The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1893-09-13
A Battle Strangely Won.


II was probably one Of the most re-
msrkable battles that was ever fought.
The Advance had been well planned by
the attacking force, the idea being TO
surprise the enemy at the dead Of night.
Every detail had been carefully eonsid-
cred The advance would be hidden By
Wooi. and the 6rst the enemy world
know Of it would be when the troops
swept out OF the wood and carried the
camp by storm. There we're appearently
no pickets in the wood, and there seemed
10 be no possibility OF a failure.
The colonel in command Was gloauns
over his expected victory. when one Of
his officers called his attention to
bright light some distance TO the left Of
the advancing column.
What is it ?' asked the colonel anx-
iOusly.
i don't know" replied the officer.
1T flashed up there only a minute ago"
"Weil, if any one suspected We were
here he wouldn't 90 along swinging 4
lantern 10 make a target Of himself" as
serted the colonel.
The column had barely begun to move
again when a light appeared on the right
and little 70 the rear Of the one that
had Just disappeared. Another halt was
made, and the colonel was tempted TO
order a v0lley in the direction Of the
light, but of course that would betray the
exact whereabouts Of the column and
would be almost suicidal.
"We are being surrounded - exclaimed
one Of the officers excitedly.
Then light appeared in the shFubbery
Immediately ahead Of the retreating eol-
umn. The first man yelled ~Riae pit %
and cleared the whole thing at one
bound. The second man was not 50 for
tunate He stumbled and fell, and as
he fell he instinctively made a reach for
the light Tie was the only man killed,
but his death completed the panic.
Ranks were broken, and the retreat be-
came a Wild race to get out Of the wood.
And the lights seemed to dance here
and there, appearing at the most unex-
pected points and adding to the confu-
sion.
When the excitement was at It's height.
a man clined out ola pit some distance
in the rear af the retTeating force. He
stretched himself and peered after the
fleeing soldiers.
Hanged if wasn't eramped in that
hole" he said. Il suppose l might as
well turn a cannon or two loose Just 10
wake the boys up AMI scare those foot
racers little more"
He lay down on the ground at the edge
of the pit, reached his hand down TO
some keys on a sort Of switchboard, and
in an instant cannon doomed out. Then
he raised himself to a sitting posture, liz
a pipe and ehuckled to himself
Two or three men rushed up and
breathlessly inquired what the trouble
Was
"Oh, had a little brush with the enc
N.Y." replied the man with the pipe
calmly. They tried 10 surprise the
camp"
"And you beat them ?'
"Wny, they're running yet"
Quite crowd from the camp had
gathered by this time, and one Of them
cried, Three cheers for the electrician %
but the man with the pipe raised his
hand TO stop them.
'The credit is not all mine" he said
Remember my able force of linemen
who ran wires through this wood and
made it possible for me to win this vie
tory"
Just then some Of the men who had
gone into the wood after the retreating
enemy returned with the news that one
man had been killed.
"Whatl" cried the electrician, jump
ing up. He hurried to the place where
the body lay.
Too bad Too bad - he said regret
fully, "but then accidents will happen,
even in battle He had no business to
catch hold Of live wire.
"Oh, we'll, there's no use feeling bad
about II" put in one Of the officers. "A
victory has been won, and only one life
mas been lost"
But why have one LOST 2' asked the
electrician. "Of course it was tiresome
work in that pit, and when got them on
the retreat was glad of il, but never
supposed any one was going to grab hold
Of the light It's too bad ="
And the man who had won the yiGtOry
could not be eonsoled.-C Chicago Tribune