Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1895-04-12
CHAPTER XIV.
COMING OF THE RESERVES.


The hight has come again. The smoke
has rolled away from the battlefield of
Chickamauga. There is neither sound
Of cannon nor musketry, except here and
there an occasional picket firing. There
is another sound within the dark forest
where Thomas men are resting-the
sound of the woodchopper's ak. The
commander in chief Of the Confederates
hears it and knows, with generals
quick perception, that another chance Of
destroying his enemy is passing. he can
not enter tho forest at the dead of night
to stop that chopping, and he knows as
he hears hundreds of axes replacing the
more appalling sounds of the day with
the clatter # their blades, and now and
again some great tree crashing through
its neighbors, that by morning his ene-
my will be intrenched behind breast
works.
MAYNARD bivouacked on Thomas line.
The two armies lay too near to each
other to light telltale campfres, and as
all equipage had been sent to the rear
and blankets were scarce the army spent
the night shivering. The wood was too
thick to see anything above the lower
branches. The men needed sleep, but it
would be as easy to sleep on the battle
field as in the continuous clatter of those
axes. Besides distrust had come upon
the whole army. 1t was an anxious
night to the generals, and the men par.
took of the solicitude of their command
ers. It was known that the enemy had
been REINFORCED from Virginia, Knox
Vile and other points. 1t was rumored
that Burnside was coming, but Burn
side did not come. To natural fatigue
was added that more appalling weari-
ness of being constantly in the presence
of death and the certainty that when
the soldier should rise in the morning
the grim specter would rise with him to
haunt him for another day.
There is streak of gray in the east.
The commander in chief Of the men in
gray listens for the sound of guns in the
hands of those he has ordered to begin
the attack at daylight and which are to
be signal for others. The streak broad
ems; day comes; the sun rises; it is 8
O'Clock Still all is silent along the line.
It is only mistake, only an order not
received or understood by the general
who was to lead off, but in that mis-
take is involved possible failure. With
all the vaunted generalship on the field
Of battle what is it, after all, that turns
the tide except the mistakes?
Mark Maynard on that Sunday morn
ing was lying with his body in the dirt
and his head on the root of tree. He
dreamed that he had Just come in from
making charge at the head of his bri-
gade and w: approaching his COM
mander to port glorious success;
that the gener..l said to him after thank
ing him for his achievement, "Colo-
mel, it will t;::e me pleasure to recon-
mend you fol- romotion to the rank OF
brigadier''-
"General!'
He awoke "a saw Jakey Slack look
ing down Oh i'm. 1t was he who had
spoken the wei "General!'
General aid Jakey as he saw his
friends eyes toen, "it's ben id
hard fight"
"For heavens sake, my boy, where
have you been, and what are you doing
here? The battle will open soon again
this morning. wonder it hasn't open
ed already. You must get back. "
IT thort war sojer."
"Well, Jakey, you are a soldier,
that's fact, and I'm not. :"
Reckon I'll git cashyered. ben
away 'thout any furlough. "
"Where?"
"Waal, I thort I'd 60 n see Souri,
afore tn fight cos I moughtn't hev no
chance after it. I mought git killed, n
then I wouldn't be no good nohow."
"Have you seen herr"
"Yas."
"And Laura?' he started up.
"Yas."
"And you told her,
"Reckon."
Maynard paused in his questions. He
dreaded to know how his wife had re-
ceived the news. Did she condemn him
with the rest?
Jakey put his hand in the pocket of
his coat and took out card on which
was a picture of Laura holding her
child. Maynard seized it, and in a mo-
ment his eyes were riveted on it to the
exclusion of all other objects. His mind
drank in thirstily all it suggested.
Mark" he exclaimed suddenly,
''for these you must win back your
spurs.
Reckon she uns nd like fo' ter hear
y talk thet away" put in Jakey SYM
pathetically.
"Jakey, I'm a changed man. I feel
that I am to have chance to vindicate
myself on the field today. For two days
I have been fighting in the ranks.
have had only a private's opportunity,
and that is to furnish material for the
sacrifice demanded by the god of war,
while the god only smiles on those who
lead the victim. Today-today'-
"Somep'n'll turn up sho', y bet"
"Come, we must get some breakfast.
Well need it soon. This day will de-
eide the fate of the Army of the Cum
berland "
Going to a group of soldiers near by,