The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1896-08-13
HIS FIRST FIGHT

= Il dose from memory II Su " ),
io~,
Ila0ed ny regiment ou Sept
=. evening i9uad The colonel 10 %
camp he received me rslbet btu'quslJ
bet ts,ia - resd tue generals ioltoduc
=, letter be ehsusei bis maaner and addfos
% me very eoufteously
By hIm | sss presented TO my csptsi
Who had lusl come 10 from reoonnDite
ius. Tbis captain, whose sc9usiotsuoe
bad scarcely tine 10 m,ke, sss tail, jsrI
msu Of h.rsh, rspellIng Aspect Il ba,
beeu private soldier snd bad won hi
cross sni epau,ets upon tbe field Of bs
tie. HE voice, which vas bostse aud iet
bic. coutrssiei strangely with his gigsI
tic stature. This voice Of bis be owed =,
I was told. 10 bullet which bad passed
ompletely through BIS body at the bsitl,
Of jena,
Oa learning that bad Iust come from
college at Fonlsinehlesu, he remarked
Wtthsvry face, My lenDeuosnt died
last night
understood whs, be implied IT is
tor you to take hls place, aud you are good
for nothing"
A sharp retort was on my toogue, bat
restrained IT,
The moon was rising bebiod the re
doubt Of Cheyeruo. which stood two can
non shots from our encsmpment The
IN o1n was large aud red, as is common at
her rising, bot tbst night she seemed TO
me OF eI raordInsry si2', For an instant
the redoubt God ont coal black sgslt -
the sittering disk 1t resem mbled the
cone Of volcano at the moment Of efup
ton.
An old soldier at whose side found
myself observed the coor OF the
moon,
She is yer' red, he said. II is sign
that il will cost us dear to via this won
derlnl redoubt.
was always superstitious, and this piece
Of sugury, coming at that moment, troub
led me. | sought my couch. bat could
not sleep. | rose and walked about
awhile watching the long line OF fl res up
on the heights beyond the village Of Chev
Ell o.
when the sharp pight sir had thorough
" refreshed my blood, | went back TO the
fire. ! rolled my mantle round me. and !
my eyes, trusting not to open them
until day break. But sleep refused TO via
It me- Insenslbly my thoughts grew dole
full told myself that had not friend
among the 100000 men who filled the
plain. II we've wounded. | should be
placed 10 a hospital 10 the hands OF lgnor
ant and careless surgeons, | called 10
mind what had heard OF opera IONS My
heart beat violently, and N mechanically ar
ranged as kind OF rude ouirsss my hand s
kerchef aud pooketbook upon my breast !
Then overpowered with wesrinsss, my 4
,yes closed drowsily, ouly to open the next d
Instant with start ut some new thought /
II horCr 1
Fatigue. however, at last gained the n
lay. When the drums beat st day break, n
was fast asleep. We we're drawn up in o
snks The roll was called, then we 6
tackled our arms, and everything announ d
ed that we should pass another uneyent e.
ul day. u
But about o'clock sn aid de camp ar II
ived with orders. We we're comlnsnded o.
0 take arms, 81
Our sharpshooters march ed into the
lain. We followed slowly. and 10 20 min d
tes we saw the outposts OF the Russian d
,ling back and entering the redoubt We e'
ad battery OF artillery on our right, sno
Der on our lett, but both some distance 10 10
ivauce OF US. They opened sharp FIRE
pom the enemy, who returned 1t bll'kly, N
nd the redoubt OF Cbeyerino WAS soon
1pcesled by volumes Of thick smoke,
or regiment was almost covered from the pI
utsians' fire by piece OF rising ground
heir bullets which were rarely aimed at
'. for they preferred TO ire upon our cl
.nnoneerrl whistIed over us or at the th
orst knocked up shower Of earth and en-
ones, Is
Jutss the order to advance was given
"a captain looked st me inteptly. ! strok vi
! my sprou log moustschelvith an sIF OF
nconcetn. 10 truth | was not frighten to
/ and only dreaded lest might be
ought o. These passing bulest ded
y heroic ooolness, while my seltrespect
sured me that the danger was a real one a.
uce | was yerItsbly under fire. | vas de m
GIFTED at my sell possession and slresdy ha
& ked forward to the pleasure Of descrlb
z 10 Partisan drawing rooms the cIpture 10,
the redoubt Of CheVeIiuo. an
The coloLel passed before our com m,
my, Well, be said to me, You are IN
)ing 10 see warm work 10 your hrst &c
on, mn
gave q martial smile aud brushed Of ,v
' cuff on which a bullet which had -.
rock the earth at % psoes distant had III,
50 tie dust. an
1t appeared lbst tue Russisns had dis an
Iyered that their bullets did 90 harm, f.,
= they repIaoed them bys hrs OF shells lor
hich began 10 reach us 10 the hollovs
here We lay Doe Of thtss 10 its eIpio +,
90 Knocked cl my shsEo snd Killed ro
60 beside me. IN,
! congratulate you, ssif the osptaiu as ~
picked 10 ny shs.o YoG are safe Do~
7 the day. tn
| knew the military Euperslifiou ~hlcb vis
Ileve. that the sIitm 'pCu tIs 10 Idem q t