The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-01-22
What are those funeroal looking way

ons driving up and being stationed at.
different points, those men. with strip
of red flannel about their arms, scatter
ing themselves over the field? To the
young enthusiast for war in the dis
tance, who has been impatient to sec
battle, these wagons, these men marked
with red, composing the ambulance
corps, getting ready to take care Of dead
who have not yet been killed, wounded
who have not yet been hit. bring the
first realization of what war means.
There Is none Of the harsh music of bat
tie about these grim looking wagons,
these men waiting for victims, to bright
en- the eve and send the blood coursing
through the veins. They go about their
work In methodical fashion that
dampens ardor as water quenches fire.
They mock soldiers ambition for glo-
ry. There is something in the calcula.
ton, the preparation, to remind him
that, after all, the gold lace, the feath-
ers, the martial music, are but to cause
him, like the pampered sacrifice, to for
get what he is for--to be shot.
But Mark Maynard was veteran
and had seen all this before. He gave
the ambulance corps single glance,
and then, looking toward group OF
Union officers partly concealed from
him by the smoke of the battery, saw
one of them, with the stars Of briga-
dier general on his shoulder, peer north
ward through fieldglass. Turning his
eyes in the same direction. he could see
light cloud rising west Of Ringold.
He watched il and observed that one
end of it was trending toward ford.
north of Reeds ridge The officer soon
shut up his glass, and in another mo-
ment aids were galloping away to give
orders to retreat A column Of Confed-
crates, extending for miles, were march
ing 10 the ford TO turn the Union left,
and no time was to be lost in getting
the little force back to the bridge.
There is quick limbering of guns,
and skirmishers, cavalry, gunners, all
hurry back over the ridge. AT the bridge
they find two regiments ready for any
duty TO which they may be assigned.
They are directed to hold the ford TO
which tho column Of dust is moving.
Protected in that direction, the force at
the bridge awaits more confidently the
coming Of the advancing Confederates.
They have not long to wait. The skir-
mishers, thin line of gray, are soon seen
scurrying over the ridge like light scat
tered clouds before white squall.
The main line Of gray is still tramping
over the Pea Vino valley, keeping the
slow pace of their heavy guns. The Un-
ion men do not wait for the stronger
force. They turn upon these skirmishers
and drive them back through the gap
to their more slowly moving comrades.
Mark Maynard, following with the
rest. soon again found himself on the
ridge. There, IN the valley below, was
the line of battle be had seen, but near
er, a crescent shaped line extending
from the bank of the creek above the
ford across the northern end Of the ridge
into the Pea Vine valley. Battlefags
appeared above the line at regular inter.
walls. Each one Of l5 flags Maynard
counted, indicating regiment He
knew that the little Union force east of
the Chiekamauga could not stand
against what appeared to be at least a
division OF infantry, with very strong
force OF cavalry. Nor was he wrong.
The scythe swung round as IL moved
by the arms of Titan, moving with
its sharp edge the opposing Unionists.
They were sent flying back to the bridge
and hurriedly put themselves into a po-
Eition to defend it.
They are ready for the storm when it
breaks, meeting it with artillery and
charges of cavalry. Tho Confederates
are driven, but by this time their artil-
lery has been got forward and posted at
"a point north of the bridge, where it can
sweep the valley Of the creek, the bridge
and those whose purpose it is to defend
IL.
Now there Is imminent danger. Will
the little force on the east bank get
over, or will it bo cut of and captured
by these overwhelming Confederates?
1t can only be saved by one portion
charging the enemy whilo tho others
are moving by twos (the bridge will
stand no more) across the structure
Among those who charged and re-
charged TO keep off the gray coats swarm.
ing upon them on that eventful morn
ing, always in the advance, in the spit
ting line of foam that precedes the bill
low rolling upon the sand, Mark May
nard was over present. As each wave
rolled from the margin of the Chicka-
mauga broke upon the southerners and
receded number of the Union troops
had passed the bridge
Maynard waited till every man was
over. Then, stepping on the bridge, he
Joined party who were tearing up the
flooring to prevent the enemy from fol-
lowing. At last these left for the shore.
and he remained alone. As board after
board came up the Confederates pushed
nearer, but still he worked on. Bullets
sang TO each other as they passed from
east to west and from west to east,
while the air was thick with intermin-
able explosions. At last all was dono
that could be done. Whether his action