The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-12-13
cLUBBED WITH A MUSKET.
A Battlefield Scene That Ended In sweet
SIeep.

A Battlefield Scene That Ended In sweet
Sleep.
SO long as the feldpieces Of the enemy
continued to play on our front we did not
mind them, for the fire was so high that
everything went over our heads and into
the Third brigade in reserve. BY and by,
however, a battery moved to the left and
got flank fire on the fine, and then we
realized that one Of two things must speed
lily happen-the whole brigade must fall
back, leaving wide gap in the lines. or q
regiment would be ordered to charge the
guns. Not more than three or four shells
had fallen among,us when the order came
Our regiment changed front and dressed its
lines, with six guns belching shot and shell
at us from the ridge half mile away.
We front to the west and are also on q
ridge. Between the two ridges 10 open
ground. with two fences to climb or throw
down. There is also a highway running
parallel with our lines, and at the base Of
our ridge is bush fringed gully which In
the spring 10 . creek. After we have cross-
ed the highway and the fence on the far
side we must dash up a green slope on
which there Ia not even a bush for cover
We know that the guns are supported by
ber We had five minutes In which to sur
vey the ground. Then the word came down
the lines to take "open order" and not stop
to level the fences, and we moved forward
AS we did 70 shell killed and wounded six
men In Company II, and Ave seconds later
a solid shot killed two or three in Com
papyC.
1t was common time" to the brow OF the
ridge and then double quick" and trail
arms" across the nrst field. No one shout
ed or cheered. The guns had point blank
fire at us, and they were served 20 rapidly
that shells were bursting every instant ]
suddenly noted gap on my left, but was
not even graxed by the shell which killed
and wounded five men. We were not over
four minutes crossing the field, but the
time seemed five times a. long. Wereached
the fence just as the guns changed to grape
and canister, and as l swung . leg over
the top rail / was covered with dirt and
dust plowed up by a charge striking the
earth 30 feet away. Here for the hrst time
I heard the officers behind us shouting Or
ders &nd the screams of men as they were
hit. What the orders were no one seemed
to understand, but we dashed over the
highway, tumbled into and out Of the ditch
on the west side and swarmed over the
fence.
We were too low for the artillery to reach
us now, but lines of men who seemed al
most within reach suddenly rose mp and
poured volley after volley Of musketry into
us as we waited for the laggards to come
up and get our lines In some sort Of shape
for the final effort. One would have thought
that that fire would annihilate us, but only
one fell here and there. The top rails Of
the fence were somewhat decayed, and n
the bullets struck them the splinters few
in showers. We could not hear the orders,
but the lines dressed, . great cheer ran from
right to left, and away we went up tho
slope. The guns were being hauled OF, and
between us and them were 500 infantry.
We did not halt to deliver volley. bus
went at them with the bayonet. ! saw
their feet and ankles under the smoke as
they fired volley into our faces. and the
next instant We were among them. No
man could tell you just what happened for
the next four or five minutes. There were
shooting, shouting, cheering. cursing and
hand to hand Sighting, and all Of sudden
we emerged from the smoke and made .
rush at two pieces of artillery which had
been delayed by losing some OF the horses.
We ran right over them, jabbing with the
bayonet and using the musket IS a club,
and they were ours inside Of two minutes.
Like the stroke Of n bell daylight van
ished, and darkness fell upon the battle
field wondered greatly. for had thought
Il was only midafternoon. All the sounds
Of battle died out within "a few seconds.
and was puzzled about IL. / remember
Of thinking there might bc flag of truce
md n surrender, and felt like cheering at
the idea Then a feeling Of drowsness
crept over me. and ] said to myself that il
would he all right 10 20 TO sleep for an
hour or two and then help get the guns
away.
"Oh, he's all right and will be about |
again in n few days. Just got his head |
smashed with the butt OF musket."
IL was 10 o'clock at night was in the |
field hospital, and IL was one Of the sur. |
yeons who was speaking bad been |
struck down at 3 o'clock and picked up at |
|. The blow had rendered me unconscious |
'or seven hours and IL was seven hours OF |
he sweetest sleep | ever bad in my life A |
nan had seized his musket by the bayouet,
'aised IL aloft with both hands and brought |
{ down on my head, and yet he had only |
.tiaaHea me.
did we hold the guns and the hilli"
Isked of wounded man beside me.
You beti" he chuckled. And then I
ell asleep again and did not awake until