The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1896-06-05
Then each will fade2
HIS FIRST FIGHT.

A friend of mine, a soldier who died
in Greece of fever some years since, de-
scribed to me one day his first engage
ment. His story impressed me that /
wrote it down from memory. 1t was as
follows:
Joined my regiment ON Sept 4. 1t
was evening. 1 found the colonel in the
camp. He received me rather brusque-
", but having read the generals intro
ductory letter he changed his manner
and addressed me courteously.
By him 1 was presented to my cap
tain. who had just come in from recon-
noitering. This captain, whose acquaint-
ance l had scarcely time to make, was
tall, dark man of harsh, repelling as
pect. He had been private soldier and
had won his cross and epaulets upon
the field of battle. His voice, which was
hoarse and feeble, contrastcd strangely
with his gigantic stature. This voice of
his he owed, as L was told, to bullet
which had passed completely through
his body at the battle of Jena.
On learning that had just come from
college at Fontainebleau, he remarked
with a wry face. My lieutenant died
last night.
understood what he implied-"It is
for you to take his place, and you are
good for nothing
A sharp retort was ON my tongue, but
l restrained it.
The moon was rising behind the re-
doubt of Cheverino, which stood two
cannon shots from our encampment
The moon was large and red, as Is COM
mon at her rising. but that night she
seemed to me of extraordinary size. For
an instant the redoubt stood out coal
black against the glittering disk. 1t re-
sembled the cone of volcano at the mo-
ment of eruption
An old soldier at whose side l found
myself observed the color of the moon.
''She is very red, )" he said. 1T is a
sign that it Will cost dear to win this
wonderful redoubt. "
i was always superstitious, and this
piece of augury, coming at that mo-
ment troubled me. 1 sought my couch,
but could not sleep. L rose and walked
I about awhile watching the long line of
fires upon the heights beyond the village
of Cheverino.
When the sharp night air had thor
oughly refreshed my blood, l went back
to the fire | rolled my mantle round
me, and shut my eyes, trusting not to
open them till daybreak. But sleep re-
fused to visit me lnsensibly my
thoughts grew dolefuL l told myself
that L had not friend among the 100,
900 men who filled that plain If L
were wounded, l should be placed in
hospital in the hands of ignorant and
careless surgeons. L called to mind what
/ had heard of operations. My heart
beat violently, and | mechanically ar
ranged as kind of rude cuirass my
handkerchief and pocketbook upon my
breast Then, overpowered with wearl-
ness, my eyes closed drowsily, only to
open the next instant with a start at
some new thought of horror.
Fatigue however, at last gained the
day. When the drums beat at daybreak,
/ was fast asleep. Wewere drawn up in
ranks The roll was called, then We
stacked our arms, and everything an
nounced that we should pass another
uneventful day.
But about 3 O'Clock AN aid-de-camp
arrived with orders. We were COM
manded to take arms.
Our sharpshooters marched into the
plain. We followed slowly, and in 20
minutes we saw the outposts of the
Russians falling back and entering the
redoubt We had a battery of artillery
on our right, another on our left, but
both some distance in advance OF us
They opened a sharp fire upon the enc
my, who returned it briskly, and the
redoubt of Cheverino was soon conceal
ed by volumes of thick smoke. Our regi-
ment was almost covered from the Rus
| slams fire by piece of rising ground.
| Their bullets (Which besides were rarely
aimed at US, for they preferred to fire
upon our cannoneers) whistled over us
! or at worst knocked up a shower of
rarth and stones
| Just as the order to advance was Civ
3n the captain looked at me intently. l
stroked my sprouting mustache with an
air of unconcern. In truth, 1 was not
frightened and only dreaded lest might
be thought so These passing bullets
aided my heroic GOODNESS, while my self
respect assured me that the danger was
a real one, since l was veritably under
fire / was delighted at my self posses
sion and already looked forward to the
pleasure of describing in Partisan draw
ing rooms the capture of the redoubt o;
Cheverino.
The colonel passed before our com
pany. well" he said to me. you are
going to see warm work in your first ac-
ton.
| gave a martial smile and brushed
off my cuff, on which bullet which
had struck the earth at 80 PAGES distant
had cast little dust
It appeared that the Russians had dis
covered that their bullets did no harm
for they replaced them by fire o
shells, which began to reach us in tn
hollows where we lay One of these II
its explosion knocked off my shake ant
killed man beside me-
II congratulate you" said the cap
tain as 1 picked up my shake lyon ar
safe now for the day.
knew the military supersulo