Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1896-09-12
Then each viii fadef
HIS FIRST FIGHT.

in Greece IF fever some years since, de-
scribed TO me one day his first engage
ment. His story SO impressed me that
wrote it down from memory. It was as
follows:
Joined my regiment on Sept. 4. 1t
was evening. found the cclonel in the
camp. He received me rather brusquc-
II, but having read the generals intro
duc.cry letter he changed bis merner
aud addressed nc oourteously.
BY him 1 was presented to my cap
tain, who had just come IN from recon-
motoring. This captain, whose &cqGaint-
ance 1 had scarcely time to make, was
tall dark man of harsh, repelling as
poet. He had been o private soldier and
had won his cross and epaulets upon
the field Of battle His voice, which was
hoarso and faeble col.trasted strangely
with his gigantic stature. This voice Of
his he owed, as ! 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 Fontainobleau, he remarked
with a w1y face, My lieutenant died
last night. =
understood what he implied--"I It is
for you to fake his place, ard you are
good for nothing. "
A sharp retort was on my tongue, but
l restrained it.
The neon was rising behind the re-
doubt Of Chcverino, which stood two
cannon shots from our cncampmcnt
The moon was large and red, rs is com
mon a5 her rising, but that night she
seemed to me of extraordinary size. For
an instant tho redoubt stood out coal
black against the glittering disk. 1t TO-
semblcd thecon Of volcano at the mo-
ment of eruption.
An old soldier at whose side found
myself observed the color Of the NEON.
''She is very red, = he said. 1T is q
sign that it viii cost as dear Twin this
wonderful redoubt.
was always superstitioas, and this
piece of augEry, coming ct that mo-
ment, troubled me. ! sought MY couch,
but could not sleep. | rose and walked
about awhile, watching the long line Of
fires upon tho heights beyond the village
of Cheveriro
When the sharp night air had thor
oughly refreshed mr. blood, / went back
to the fire | rolled my mantle round
me, and / slrat my eyes, trusting not to
open them till daybreak But sleep re-
fused to visit me- Inscnsibly my
thoughts grew doleful. | told myself
that | had not II friend amCug the 100,
600 men wh& filed that plain. II |
were wounded, ] should be placed in
hospital in tho hands Of ignorant and
careless surgeons. called to mind what
/ had heard Of operations My heart
beat violently, and l mechanically ar
ranged rs /; kind Of rude cuirass my
handkerchief and pocketbook upon my
breast. Then, overpowered with weari-
ness, my eyes closed drowsily, only to
open the next instant with start at
some new thought of horror.
Fatigue, however, at last gained the
day. When the drums beat at daybreak,
was fast asleep We were 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 O'Clock an aid-de-camp
arrived with orders We were COM
manded to take arms.
Our sharpshootcrs marched into the
plain. We followed slowly, and in 90
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 III advance of us.
They opened sharp fire upon the enc
my, who returned it briskly, and the
/ redoubt of Cheverino was soon conceal
! cd by volumes of thick smoke. Our rcgi-
! 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 q shower of
earth and stones.
Just as the order to advance was Civ
en- the captain looked at me intently. l
stroked my sprouting mustache with an
air of unconcern. In truth, | was not
frightened and only dreaded lest Knight
be thought so. These passing bullets
aided my heroic GOODNESS, while my self
respect assured me that the danger was
a real one since / was vertically under
fire. l 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 OF
Cheverino.
The colonel passed before our com
pany. well, he said to me, you are
going to sec warm work in your first nc
ton"
gave martial smile and brushed
off my cuff, on' which bullet which
had struck the earth at 80 PAGES distant
had cast little dust.
1t appeared that the Russians had dis