The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1894-10-04

tered bones of his severed leg as he falls
to the ground. Capt. Este, of Co. II, is
the first to reach him and raise him up.
And as | come up on the instant the
Captain asks if anyone has cord to
check the flow of blood that is stream
ing from the severed artery and veins,
and taking a knapsack-strap from my
pocket l help him 10 adjust it above the
knee, which Immediately checks the
bleeding. All the wounded officer says
is to speak the names of two Surgeons
whom he wishes to attend to his wound.
But the whole available surgical force
is fully occupied with their knives and
saws beyond the swamp upon the limbs
of the accumulating unfortunates who
now form steady stream along the
single causeway across the swamp to the
rear, and by the time he is conveyed
across they have to wait reaction Of his
vital forces before operating on him, and
he dies soon after the amputation is ac-
complished from general physical pros
tration.
There is a little grumbling in the
ranks at being compelled to lie idle
under fire with the terrible storm of
battle surging around us, but there is
no disposition among the men in the
ranks to turn their backs to the storm
except to carry the dead and wounded
to the rear, which duty is faithfully
performed by the pioneers and musi-
clans
At 10 o'clock the brigade battery of
four 10-pounder brass field guns has
been obliged to timber to the rear, after
a valiant effort to stem the storm and
face the overwhelming odds against it,
to escape destruction. We do not like
to lie idle under such trying circum-
stances and allow the enemy to do all
the shooting, and | hear the egotistical
question oft repeated, Why don't they
let US charge and drive them from the
feld?"
But we have to stand the storm, with
the variation Of an occasional round at
the enemy when they come too near,
until the cavalry and infantry have all
passed through our line from the front,
and our supporting line is being drawn
in on the fanks from right and left to
rear, and falling back across the swamp
under cover of the center.
CRISIS APPROACHING.
Although holding the enemy at a re-
spectful distance in our front, they have
been steadily advancing their fanks,
until now we are nearly surrounded and
receiving raking fire from right and
left at close range, and grape and can
lister are mingIing with the solid shot
and shell from the front, as their bat
teries advance to new positions at closer
range.
Now the enemy is closing in upon our
rear from both tanks, and we are ordered
back to position along the edge of the
swamp, about 500 yards to the rear.
The orders shouted are scarcely audible
from the officer of one company to the
other amid the thunder and roar. cat
tention ! About face J. Forward
Steady men; keep your alignment
March, Steady there on the right !
Steady on the left Whish! Boom
Kechugl Whew! How the gusts of
grape, canister, spherical case and shell
come shrieking past and the storm of
leaden hail huns around US !
Our backs are turned to the foe, and
a horizontal volcano is belching forth
upon us. No wonder our gallant officers
have enough to do to keep even our
regiment steady. We haven't got used
to that kind of entertainment, and it