Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1894-04-07
I.ast Grand t,rapple.


The man who tells You that without
Buell. Grant would have been lost at
Shiloh did not see the last grand Crap
pie on sunday night. 1t was while
waiting for this final struggle that
saw the grandest sight. save one, that
| witnessed during the entire war.
We were placed head downward
on hillside, with a battery or more
OF guns at the top We are facing the
west. Looking out through the open
ings the sunshine falls bright and clear
on everything. Looking to the right
or left we see battalions forming and
artillery going into position A lulli in
the crash and roar of battle; its still
ness is oppressive.
Looking away out yonder-see the
flashing. cleaning sunshine on the
polished steel in front and on the
fanEs-it is the coming Of the enemy
In close columns bv division. with
flags futtering and its army moving
en- eehelon. See how distinct every
rife barrel, bayonet and saber, like
the CLEAN of silver and simmer of
brass! In the very front is a regiment
Of Zouaves- 4 grander sight no man
ever saw than this coming of the Con-
federate army We sec the swinging
motion noticeable when great bodies
OF men move together. Thus comes
this human battering-ram. with artil-
lery trailing in its ranks. presenting
the appearance OF a 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 per-
feet step with arms at right-shoulder-
shift, seemingly conscious Of its
might. With blare Of band and bugle
the line advances. We see it coming
+ and wonder if some one will raise a
white flag.
( | load my gun and lie fat on the
! ground head downward with teeth
4 tightly closed 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 movements are ex-
ecuted with exact step, and arms still
at right-shoulder-shift
! live an age in a moment We are
startled by cannon shot above rs i
signal for more. It's answered by a
binding fash d mighty roar: the
I earth trcmbles; something strikes me;
4 a darkness falls about me: smoke and
/ leaves and twigs and gravel and ea-th
/ fill the air / start up afrighted
wondering If the heavens and earth
are coming together. II is the good
evening" of Wcbster's great guns
above us TO the bold, defiant Confcd
crate host. Artillery along the lines
opens, and the final struggle has be-
gun.
No white flag there, Our cannoneers
are planting their shrlpnel where it
will do the most harm and it falls
amid the crowded mass Of the enemy
as true os if it had been carried BY
hand. The smoke before rs lifts and
we see beneath it the lines of the
enemy with great gaps torn in them
closing up and still advancing. We
open upon them a line fire: the guns
behind us are still throwing caseshot
Us for time. Again it lifts, and we
see the gray line staggering under
the awful fire It faces The gunbOats
take up the fight, but on comes that
determined line until only "a corporal's
guard remains We look again. 1t
has vanished gone! Another pushes
on, To disappear like the first. Our
line is a blaze OF fire it is volcano.
1t hurls defiance with its shot at the
proud. splendid bravery OF the enemy,
who die but refuse TO retreat.
The fight becomes fendish: the enc
nay concentrates his fire, ami brings
into action every available man and
gun. Arms are no longer at the right
shoulder, but are being used by ex-
perienced men. The stubborn resis-
lance Of the seemingly 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 IL halts, yaycrs
for a moment and then suddenly falls
back, the few that are left firing as
they go, until the supporting line is
reached. Then we see real discipline
in battle. The retreating line halts.
closes up. reforms on its support.
See how deliberate and full Of ac-
ton it becomes, maddencd at the re-
pulse, and burning 10 avengc their
fallen comrades. The fiery sons Of
the South are again in perfect form
ready to hurl themselves with their
angry impetuosity against their tired
but Endaunted foe. For moment
the gray line is motionless; then all at
once it leaps forward with mighty
| yell, and sweeps across the bloody
space separating the blue from the