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

Tearing up the flooring.
gold. Being in private's uniform, he
was not recognized by the men-hia
appearance was much changed by tho
loss Of his beard-and fell in with the
last files as though he belonged to the
troop.
The squadron trotted up the road lead
Ing through gap In tho ridge and
stood on summit overlooking the Pea
Vine valley. BY the light Of day May
nard !, oked down upon the landscape
ho HAD seen few hours before; but, all,
how changed Ton thousand men in
gray were coming across the valley.
. 1t Is solemn sight at any time to
SEQ an army moving to strike foe.
There was something in tho silent
moyement-too far for him to hear the
tramp Of tho men advancing over tho
intervening space, still wearing its sum-
mer robes Of green-to remind him of n
thundercloud rising in clear sky.
There were compact columns Of infan-
try steadily marching, while Oh either
flank cavalry trotted forward, hoad M,
like troop Of lions over Jungle. Occa.
sionally thoro came a confusion Of dis
tant sounds-orders-m murmurings
preceding tho storm. The advancing
host seemed rather a troop Of specters,
moving with tho wind, an army Of ma
lioious spirits coming to scatter plague
from their still silent weapons.
This fancy vanished with tho first few
shots from tho skirmishers They wero
too real, too spitoful, to attribute to
any but human agencies. Back goes the
thin limo Of bluo before the scattered
ConfcSeliates in advance, supported by
thick columns of dusty gray. No skir-
mish line would oaro to stand against
these columns coming silently, not yet
in presence Of n foe worthy Of volley.
Suddenly there is q rumbling, shout
ing, a lashing Of horses in Maynard 8
rear. Turning, ho sees Union battery,
drawn by horses, galloping up the slope
from tho bridge. Dashing into position.
tho horses are swung around, pointing
the muzzles Of cannon toward the ad.
vancing host The guns are unlimbered
There is q boom, followed by shriek-
ing sholl arohing toward the heavens
and dropping with sound like an ex-
ploding rocket over one Of the advano-
ing columns.
The shot produces o change in the
disposition of tho closely packed Con.
federates as a turn Of Kaleidoscope
altors the combination Of colors. The
closed columns halt quickly extend
wings Oh either side, joining tips, each
whilo deploying, resembling tho con-
tinuod limo, from tip to tip, Of somo
hugo distant bird. Now they are in
line Of Rattle and onco moro move for
ward, while tho Union battery drops
shells in their extended and less vulnor
ablo ranks. Marching over opon folds,
crossing gulleys, now lost in a wood, to
appear upon its other edge, biseoting
creek and road, q slowly drawing coil,
line Of the "ribbed soa sand," q
streak Of dust before rising wind, tho
southerners movo steadily forward. Be-
foro them tho Union outposts give way,
retreating undor cover Of their guns
What arc those funoreal looking wag-
ons driving up and being stationed at
different points, those mon, with q strip
Of red flannel about their arms, scatter
ing themselves over tho feld2 TO the
young enthusiast for war in tho dis.
tance, who has boon inpatient to 500 n
battle, those wagons, these men marked
with rod, composing tho ambulance
corps, gotting ready to take caro- of dead
who have not yet boon killed, wounded
who have not yot boon hit, bring tho
first realization Of what war means.
Ihore is mono Of tho harsh music Of bat.
tie about these grim looking wagons,
these mon waiting for victims, to bright
on tho oyo and sond tho blood coursine
through the veins. Thoy 20 about Their
work III mcthodicnl fashion tha
dampens ardor as wator quenches firo
They NOOK soldiers ambition for glo
ry There Is something in tho caloula
ton, tho preparation, to remind hin
that, after all, tho gold lace, tho foath
ers, the martial music, aro but to cans,
him, like tho pampored sacrifice, to for
get what ho is for---to bo shot
But Mark Maynard was vetera,
ana had seon all this before. He uav
the ambulance corps single glance
and then, looking toward q group O
Union officers partly concealed from
him by tho smoke Of tho battery, saw
one OF thom, with tho stars of bripa
dior general OH his shoulder, poer north
"ard through fleldglass Turning hi,
Dyes IN the same direction, ho could sc,
hght cloud rising west Of Ringold
He watched 1t and observed that on,
.u., ~nu VI IL was trending toward d ford
noith OF Reed's ridge The office. soor
enas up his glass, and in another mo