The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1895-04-18

The ground no was OH had just been
fought over and doad and wounded
scattered everywhere Entering wood,
he pushed forward through it. A young
soldier, II boy Of rs, was sitting OH tho
ground, supported by treo, gasping
for breath a rcd stream running down
his bosom showed that he had boen shot
through tho lungs. "You arc thinking
of homo, my boy" muttered Maynard
and pushed OH. An officer lay in his
path and begged him for what the
wounded cravo SO eagerly--watcr May
nard rodo about hunting for q stream or
| spring. At last ho found what ho
| sought, and filling oanteen rodo back
! to whore tho man lay Ho was dead
In his hand he held a picture of wife
! and two little children. Within hearing
of tho booming in front and shells cut
! ting tho trees above him he had passed
from tho harshest through tho gentlest
Of human feelings to tho eternal peace.
Riding on, Maynard mot al officer he
had known intimately. Without Thought
Of his altered condition tho degraded
colonel waved his hand in salute and
cried out, GLOW goes tho battle, ma
!
which Maynard never forgot. 1t sent
tho hot blood mounting to his checks.
Flo could have oloven tho man 3 skull
with his saber. But there was no need
of that Was there not an enemy at the
front? Yes, and there was doath Ho
| dashed Oh and arrived at ono Of tho hot
test points Oh the left just as q limo of
cavalry was moving to q charge.
Joining them, he rodo down into
storm SO wild, so fierce, so full Of do
struction that surely he thought the
coveted death must come. But tho gaps
| in tho ranks wore to his right to his
left, anywhere, everywhere, except
where ho rode. And when the troopers
with whom ho fought camo out of tho
! fight Mark Maynard was still among
| tho living.
So opened the battlo of Saturday,
Sept. 10. Throughout that day May
nard rodo wherever he saw that grim
spcctcr hovorcd. At times he was with
tho cavalry, at times he would dis
mount, and leaving his horse in the
rear go forward with musket. On ono
occasion, catching the enthusiasm of
battle, ho was forgetting his misfortune
whom tho officer Of tho regiment with
winch ho fought recognized him. The
two had boon at onmity.
"Leavo these ranksi''
| Maynard turned, saw that ho was ad-
! dressed and who addressed him. Throw
ing down his gun, tho hot tears burst
| ing from his eyes, ho turnod away
Again no was tranlping through corn
! field on tho flank of Il regimont when no
Sa"' u division general inspecting tho
| niCn as they passed forward to an at
tack: He recognized tho general who had
s2nt the spy to him. Their eyes met.
Maynard had Ivy this timo como to sec
through tho device by which tho othel
had lea him into his present position
and regarded tho officer steadily. Tho
MAN turned his horses head and gal
lopod away. Thcro was one man in tht
army who did not caro- to look him il
tho oyo.
Tho day passed with succession OF
blows upon al army still too "strung
OUT for it's own good But they were
oil successfully resisted Wherever a
! place was weak some brigade or division
was sent to strengthen it, usually loav-
ing place whore it had been. But all
points were strengthened in time. All
damage repaired, at least the damage
on which hung dofent Tho damage to
tho dead and thirsting wounded scat
tered along the limo for miles could
never DO repaired. 1t could bo counted
and laid down accurately in tho official
reports, but who oan count or repair
tbo hearts brokon with evory charge,
every defensel
And SO the sun went down ovcr a
field OH which there was no victory, no
defeat, only suffering and death.