The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-02-14

yonder-see the flashing, cleaning sun
shine on the polished steel in front and
on the TANKS it is the coming of the
enemy! In close columns by division.
with flags futtering, and It's army NOV
ing en- echelon. See how distinct every
rifle barrel, bayonet and sabre, like the
CLEAN of silver and simmer of brass!
In the very front is regiment OF
Zouaves. A grander sight no man ever
saw than this coming of the confederate
army. We see the swinging motion notice
able when great bodies OF men move to-
gether Thus comes this human gathering
ram, with artillery trailing in it's ranks,
presenting the appearance of huge
monster clothed in folds OF flashing steel.
On comes the enemy in it's grand, full
pride, sure ofscrushing the beaten, broken
Army of the Tennessee. in perfect step
with arms at right shoulder shift, SEEM
ing conscious of its might. With bla1e
of band and bugle the line advances; we
see it coming and wonder II some one
will raise white flag. | load my, gun
and lie fat on the ground head down
ward: with teeth tightly closed l await
what seems our sure defeat Behind the
front line comes another, and still
another. The woods are alive with them.
On they come; soon their lines begin TO
unfold and develop; these movemnts are
executed with exact step, and arms still
at right shoulder shift
] live an age in moment. we are
startled by cannon shot above us-a
signal for more. 1t is answered by
binding flash-a mighty roar. The
earth trembles; something strikes me;
darkness falls about me; smoke and
leaves and twigs and gravel, and earth,
fill the air. I start up affrighted, Won
H. ha hao
ing together 1t is the good evening"
of Webster's great guns above us to the
bold, defiant Confederate host. Artillery
along the line opens, and the final strug-
gle has begun.
No white flag there! Our cannoneers
are planting their shrapnel where it will
do the most. harm, and 1T falls amid the
crowded mass of the enemy, as true as II
it had been carried by hand. The smoke
before us lifts, and we see beneath 1T the
lines Of the enemy with great gaps corn
in them, closing up and still advancing
We open upon them line-fire, the guns
behind us are still throwing case-shot,
the roar deafens and the smoke blinds
us for time. Again it lifts, and we
see the gray line staggering under the
awful fire it faces. The unboats take
up the fight, but on comes that deter
mined line until only a corporaPs GUARD
remains. We look again. 1t has van
1SQ0u--On0 AuObudf PUSHES Oll, W ulSdp-
pear like the first. Our line is a blaze of
fret is volcano. 1t hurls defiance
with it's shots at the proud splendid
bravery of the enemy, who die but re-
fuse to retreat
The fight becomes fiendish; the enemy
concentrates his fire, and brings into ac-
ton every available man and gun. Arms
are no longer at the right shoulder, but
are being used by experienced men.
The stubborn resistance of the seeming
ly beaten Federal army is a surprise to
the legions OF 'Beauregard, who can
neither crush nor dislodge the blue. The
gray line trembles, almost, as 1t halts,
wavers for a moment, and then sulienly
falls back, the few that are left firing as
they 90, until the supporting line is
reached. Then we see real discipline IN
BATTLE The retreating line halts, closes
up reforms on it's support See how de-
liberate and full of action it becomes.
maddened at the repulse, and burning to
avenge their fallen comrades! The flery
sons of the South are again IN perfect
form, ready to hurl themselves with
their angry impetuosity against their
tired but undaunted foe. For moment
the great line is motionless; then all at
once it leans forward with a might fell,
and sweeps across the bloody space sepa-
rating the blue from the gray. Following
the veil comes storm of leaden hail
giants. A wild cheer from our line is
hurled back upon them, and shot answers
shot. The roar OF artillery is incessant
The crash of musketry IS deafening, and
the earth trembles from the conclusion
and shock. Watch the play on the faces
of the foemen. The eyesfashes, theaface
grows wild and grand, the form rounds
out to.its fullest limit, and the plain,
dull soldier boy rises into the grandeur
and ssglory sof an Homeric god as he
springs his feet, with no thought of
white flag or defeat, full of a desire to
meet and destroy the coming enemy;
All individuality is lost in this wild
dance of death. The gray line again
halts, tremb les, and is gone, followed by
a wild cheer that burst from the heroic
line in blue, telling in it's own glad way
that they are victors on the bloody field.
You may point to the skulkers that
line the riverss bank, with fippant ex-
preston of disdain. I answer by point
ing to the heroes who met the shock of
Beauregard's battalions on that Sunday
night, and rolled them back in bloody
route and defeat No drawer men ever
faced an enemy.-Blue and Gray.