The Redwood gazette., 1895-07-25
"LeQVe these TUnks!U

"Ledve these ranks!r'
ed on the left. A force hurried by to
the support of comrades at the front.
The ground he was on had just been
fought over and dead and wounded
scattered everywhere. Entering wood,
he pushed forward through it. A young
soldier, boy Of 18, was sitting on the
ground, supported by tree, gasping
for breath. A red stream running down
his bosom showed that he had been shot
through the lungs. "You are thinking
of home, my bcy," muttered Maynard
and pushed or. An officer lay in his
path and begged him for what the
wounded crave SO eagerly-water. May
nard rode about hunting for stream or
spring. At last he found what he
sought and filling canteen rode back
to where the man lay. He was dead.
In his hand he held picture of wife
and two little children. Within hearing
Of the booming in front and shells cut
ting the trees above him he had passed
from the harshest through the gentlest
of human feelings to the eternal peace.
Riding on, Maynard met an officer he
had known intimately. Without thought
of his altered condition the degraded
colonel waved his hand in salute and
cried out, "How goes the battle, ma
jor?" The officer passed by with look
which Maynard never forgot. It sent
the hot blood mounting to his cheeks.
He could have cloven the mans skull
with his saber But there was no need
of that. Was there not an enemy at the
front? Yes, and there was death. He
dashed on and arrived at one of the hot
test points on the left just as line Of
cavalry was moving to charge.
Joining them, he rode down into
storm SO wild, so fierce, so full of de-
struction that surely he thought the
coveted death must come But the gaps
in the ranks were to his right, to his
left, anywhere, everywhere, except
where he rode. And when the troopers
with whom he fought came out of the
fight Mark Maynard was still among
the living.
So opened the battle of Saturday,
Sept. 10. Throughout that day May
nard rode wherever he saw that grim
specter lowered At times he was with
the cavalry, at times he would dis
mount, and leaving his horse in the
rear go forward with musket. On one
occasion, catching the enthusiasm of
battle, he was forgetting his misfortune
when the officer of the regiment with
which he fought recognized him. The
two had been at enmity.
''Leave these ranks!''
Maynard turned, saw that he was ad.
dressed and who addressed him. Throw
ing down his gun, the hot tears burst
ing from his eyes, he turned away.
Again he was tramping through corn
field on the flank of a regiment when he
saw division general inspecting the
men as they passed forward to an at
tack. He recognized the general who had
sent the spy to him. Their eyes met
Maynard had by this time come to see
through the device by which the other
had led him into his present position
and regarded the officer steadily. The
man turned his horses head and gal
loped away. There was one man in the
army who did not care to look him in
the eye.
The day passed with succession of
blows upon an army still too ''strung
out" for its own good. But they were
all successfully resisted. Wherever
place was weak some brigade or division
was sent to strengthen it, usually leav-
ing place where it had been. But all
points were strengthened in time. All
damage repaired, at least the damage
on which hung defeat. The damage to
the dead and thirsting wounded scat
tered along the line for miles could
never be repaired. It could be counted
and laid down accurately in the official
reports, but who can count or repair
the hearts broken with every charge,
every defense!
And so the sun went down over a
field on which there was no victory, no
defeat, only suffering and death.