The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-03-21
The Valley Of Death at Shiloh.

The man who tells you that without
Buell., Grant would have lost at Shiloh
did not see the last grand grapple on
sunday night. 1t was while waiting
for this final struggle that / saw the
grandest sight, save one, that l wit
messed during the entire war. We
were placed head downwards on a hill
side, with battery or more of guns at
its top. We were facing the west.
Looking out through the openings, the
sunshine falls bright and clear on every-
thing. Looking to the right or left we
see battalions forming and artillery 90
ing into position. A lull in the crash
and roar OF battle; it's stiffness is op-
pressive. Look away out yonder-see
the flashing, cleaning sunshine on the
polished steel in front and on the
tlanks-it is the coming of the enemyl
In close columns by division, with flags
huttering, and its army moving en-
echelon. See how distinct every rifle
barrel, bayonet, and sabre, like the
CLEAN OF silver and simmer of brasil
In the very front is a regiment of
Zouaves. A grander sight no man
ever saw than this coming of the Con-
federate army. We see the swinging
motion noticeable when great bodies of
men move together. Thus comes this
human battering ram, with artillery
trailing in its ranks, presenting the ap-
pearance of huge monster clothed in
folds of flashing steel. On comes the
enemy in its grand, full pride, sure of
crushing the beaten, broken Army of
the Tennessee, in perfect step with
arms at right shoulder-shift, seeming
conscious of its might.
live an age in moment. We are
startled by cannon shot above us-a
signal for more. 1t is answered by a
binding tiash-a mighty roar. The
earth trembles; something strikes me:
a darkness falls about me; smoke, and
leaves and twigs, and gravel, and earth.
Ill the air. l start up affrighted, won
dering If the heavens and earth are
coming together. 1t is the good even
ing" of Webster's great guns above us
to the bold, defiant, confederate host.
Artillery along the line opens, and the
final struggle has begun. No white
flag there! Our cannoneers are plant
ing their shrapnel where it will do the
most harm and it falls amid the crowded
mass of the enemy, as true as if it had
been carried by hand. The smoke be-
fore us lifts, and we see beneath it the
lines of the enemy with great gaps
torn in them, closing up and still ad-
vancing. We open upon them line
fire, the guns behind US are still throw.
ing 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 gun
boats take up the fight, but on comes
that determined line until only corpo-
RAILS guard remains. We look again.
1t has vanished - gonel Another
pushes on, to disappear like the first. |
The fight becomes fiendish; the en-.
envy concentrates his fire, and brings |
into action every available man and |
gun. Arms are no longer at the right |
shoulder, but are being used by expe-
rienced men. The stubborn resistance
Of the seemingly beaten federal army
is surprise to the legions of Beaure-
gard, who can neither crush nor dis
lodge the blue. The gray line trembles,
almost, as it halts, waivers for a mo-
ment, and then sullenly falls back, the
few that are left firing as they 60, until
The supporting line is reached. Then
we see real discipline in battle. The
retreating line hats, closes up, reforms
On it's support. See how deliberate and
Full of action it b. comes, maddened at
he repulse, and burning to avenge
heir fallen comrades The fiery sons
Of the South are again in perfect form,
ready TO hurl themselves with their an
cry impetuosity against their tired but
lndaunted foe. For a moment the
gray line is motionless; then all at once
t leaps forward with mighty yell, and
sweeps across the bloody space sep
,rating the blue from the gray. Fol.
owing the yell comes a storm of leaden
hail full in our faces. 1t is battle of
he giants. A wild cheer from our line
8 hurled back upon them, and shot
answers shot. The roar of artillery is
ncessant. The crash of musketry is
ieafening, and the earth trembles from
he conclusion and the shock. Watch the
,lay on the faces of the menl The eye
lashes, the face grows wild and grand,
he form rounds out to its fullest limit,
md the plain, dull soldier boy rises into
he grandeur and glory of an Homeric
rod as he springs to his feet, with no
bought of white flag or defeat, full of
desire to meet and destroy the COM
ng enemy. All individuality is lost in
his wild dance of death. The gray
inc again halts, trembles, and is gone,
ollowed by a wild cheer that burst
rom the heroic line in blue, telling in
Is own glad way that they are viclors
IN the hlOOdv field -RhIp and Gr0n