Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1894-03-22

feet step with arms at right shoulder
shift, seeming conscious of its might
With blare of band and bug'e the line
advances; we see It coming and won
der II some one will raise the white
flag. load my gun and lie Fat on the
ground head downward; with teeth
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 10 unfold
and develop; these movements ore exc
cuted with exact step and with arms
still ut right shoulder:shift
live an age in a moment. We are
startled by n cannon shot above us-a
signal for more. II Is answered by Il
binding 1ash-a mighty roar Tho
earth trembles; something strikes me;
a darkness falls about me; smoke and
leaves and twigs and gravel and earth
fill the air start up nffrighted, won
dering IL the heavens and earth are
coming together Its the "gopl even
ing" of Webster's great guns above MS
to the bold, defiant confederate host.
Artillery along the line opens, and the
final struggle has begun.
No white flag there! Our cannoneers
are planting their shrapncl where 1t
will do the most harm, and IL falls
amid the crowded mass of the enemy as
true us II It. had been carried by hand
The smoke before us lifts, anu we sec
beneath it the lines Of the enemy, wish
great gaps torn in them, closing mp
and still advancing We open upon
them n line fire, the guns behind US are
still throwing case shot, the roar deaf
ems and the smoke blinds for Z time.
| Again it lifts and we see the gray line
staggering under the awfu! IRE Il faces.
| The gunboats take up the fight, but ON
| comes that determined line until only
corporals guard rCmain. We look
again. 1t has vaulshed-gouel An
o.ne. pushes on, TO disappear like the
| FIRST Our line is a blaze of fret IL II
volcano. 1t hurls defiance with its
shots at the proud, splendid bravery Of
the enemy, who die but refuse to re-
treat
The fight becomes fiendish; the enc
my concentrates its fire and brings into
action every available man and gun.
Arms are no longer at the right shout
der, but are being used by experienced
men. The stubborn resistance of tho
seemingly beaten federal army Is n sur
prise TO the lcgions of Beauregard, who
can neither crush or dislodge the blue.
The gray line trembles almost as 1t
halts, wavers for Il moment and then
suddenly falls back, the few that are
left firing as they go until the support
ing line is reached. Then we see real
discipline in battle. The rctreating
line halts, closes up reforms ON its sup
port. See how deliberate and full OF
action IL becomes maddcned at the re
pulse and burning 10 avenge the
fallen comradesl The fiery sons of the
south are again in perfect form, ready
TO hurl themselves with their angry
impetuosity against their tired but un
daunted foe. For moment the gray
line Is motionless; then all Mt once !
leaps forward with a mighty yell AM
sweeps across tire bloody space separat
ing the blue from the gray Following
the veil comes a storm of leaden hal
full into our faces. II is battle OF tn
! giants. A wild cheer from our line
Z hurled back upon them, and shot an
swers shot The roar Of artillery is In
cessant. The crash OF musketry
j deafening, and the earth tremble
Y from the conclusion and shock. Watc
! the play on the faces of the menl TIL
eye hushes, the face grows wild an
: grand, the form rounds out TO its full
est limit and the plain, dull soldier DO
rises into the grandeur and glory
a Homeric god as he springs to h
Z feet with no thought OF white flag
2 defeat, full Of desire TO meet and d.
stroy the coming enemy. All indivi'
uality is lost In this wild dance
death. The gray line again halt
treuables and is gone, followed by
| wild cheer that bursts from the hero
u line in blue, telling in It's own gli
way that they are victors on the blood
field.
a. You may point TO the skulkers tn
&c line tbs river bank, with a fiippant c
~ preston of disdain. answer by poir
p, ing TO the heroes who met the shock
9; Beauregard's battalions on that Su
day night, and rolled them back
I.h bloody rout and defeat No bray
s men ever faced an enemy BLUE a
aEAR