The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-05-03

ACSCiNcu buo uuit
Rude tables have been prepared, and
strong men lift each victim up to be
overhauled by the men who have strip
ped off coat and vest and rolled their
sleeves far back. They look like butch
ers in slaughter pen, but their hearts
are tender toward these victims of bat
tie, whether friend or foe. The bitter
ness of battle is at its height when the
crash of artillery and the crackle of
musketry are fiercest. When the battle
is over, whether victorious or defeated,
pity returns to the heart and blinds the
eyes to the color of the uniform. Over
each man lifted up there is brief con-
sultation.
Those bare armed men need waste no
time. They can tell almost at a glance
what the result will be. If it is a NOR
tai hurt, the poor fellow is lifted aside
to breathe his last as peacefully as pos
sible under such surroundings. If there
is hope for him, his wound is dressed
with agile fingers, and he gives way to
the next.
THAT'S Captain Wyle, my company
captain!'
So exclaimed Steve Brayton as ho en-
tered the barn about 1 | O'Clock mt night
to'see if no could recognize any Confed-
crates being brought in. Tho captain
had Just been lifted to the table. He
was conscious, but had not yet spoken.
Those who brought him in said that he
was pinned to tho earth by the hind
quarters Of his dead horse, and that the
animal was fearfully mangled by grape
shot.
Shoulder dslocated, ribs broken, leg
broken, struck in the groin by a carbino
ball, announced the surgeon who made
a rapid investigation.
ANY hope for meI" asked tho cap
tain, whose lips had been moistened
with whisky, as it was observed that he
desired to speak.
The surgeon shook his head and mo-
toned TO tho attendants TO lift the Off
Ger aside. When they had left him,
Steve Brayton sat down beside him and
bathed his face with whisky and gave
him to drink. The captain had recog-
nized him at once, but 1t was several
minutes before ho queriod:
You and Kenton were In the fight
at Harrisonburg and were captured.
How camo you horet'
I'VE uns made bolt fur it on the
road and got away"
And what has happened hcre3"
"Waal, KCnton was wounded, then
mo and him stood off Ike Baxter and
his crowd, then tho gals mother died.
then the gal and Kcnton hoy bin driv
away 10 the Yankee lines. Sorry fur
yo', cap, and sorry fur tho rest Of 'cm,
fur our hull crowd has bin wiped Oh
the face Of tho airth"
Have we been defcaiedi"
Regularly cleaned ont. cap. don .
believe q hundred Of our men got otaway.
'Cordin 10 what them doctors say, go
can't pull through this Do yo' want 10
leave any word with met'
No, ' Whispered the captain after q
moments thought
Not even for the gal? She won't
bear no grudgo when sho hears yo' a.
dead. "
The captain shook his head and closed
his eyes. Steve moved away after a few
minutes 10 look for othm Confederate
wounded, and two hours later the on
Gers dead body was carried ont with
others 90 mako room Tor tho wounded.
When morning camo and the dead
were gathered for burial, Stove Brayton
found many that he could identify. In.
decd full half Of his own company had
been wiped ont, and among them was
Ike Baxter. But great as VIVA the Con
fcderate loss, that OF tho Fcdcrals was
severe. History has said of that first real
cavalry fight OF the war that II was ter
ribly brief IN duration and appalling In
it's list of dead and wounded. II was al.
most night Of the day following the
fight before the last Of the Fclerals
moved of and left the field. And how
changed was RestIHayon, Iand what a
misnomer the title which had been
given 90 II IN the years u pcacel Gin
ders and ashes showed where the houses
bad stood. Across the plain furruwed
by shot and she'll aud hooi To- snow
white carpet now spattercd and blotched
bya thousand blood stains, they had dug
long trenches aud covered in tho dead.
Trees had been cut down, bushes up
rooted, and over acres of ground was
strewed the wreck Of battle.
| have but few more pages TO write.
My story has not been all romance,