The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1896-10-03
PART IL
CHAPTER /.

CHAG1Eh Il.
Night at last, and the stir and tumult
of a great night over. Even the excite
ment that had swept this portion of
the battlefield-only small section OF
vaster area of struggle-into which
a brigade had marched held it's own,
been beaten back, recovered its ground,
and pursuing, had passed out OF it for
ever, leaving only its dead behind and
knowing nothing more of that strug-
gle than it's own impact and momen-
tum-even this wild excitement had
long since evaporated with the singing
smoke of gunpowder, the acTid smell
of burning rags from the clothing OF
dead soldier fired by bursting shell,
or the heated reelS OF sweat and leather.
Acool breath, that seemed TO bring back
once more the odor OF the upturned
earthworks along the now dumb line
of battle, began 10 move from the sug-
gestive darkness beyond.
But into that awful penetralia OF
death and silence there was now no in
vasion-there had been no retreat A
few OF the wounded had been brought
ont, under fire, but the others had been
left with the dead for the morning light
and succor. For il was known that in
that horrible obscurity rderless horses,
frantic with the smell Of blood, gull
lopcd wildly here and there, or. mod
dcned by wounds, plunged furiously
at the intruder. that the wounded sol
der, still armed. could not always dis
tinguish friend from foe or from the
yhouls OF camp followers who stripped
the dead in the darkness, and struggled
with the dying. A shot or two heard
somewhere in that obscurity counted
as nothing with the long fusillade that
had swept il in the daytime; the pass
ing OF single life, more or less,
amounted to little in the long rollcall
of the days slaughter.
But with the first beams of the morn
ing sun--and the slowly moving relief
detail'' from the camp-came weird
half resurrection of that CHASTITY field.
Then II was that the long rays of sun
light. streaming many mile beyond
the battle line, first pointed out the
harvest OF the dead where the reserves
had been posted. There they lay in
heaps and piles, killed by solid shot or
bursting shells that had leaped the
battle line TO plunge into the waiting
ranks beyond. AS the sun lifted higher
its beams fell within the range OF mus
kerry FIRE where the dead lay thicker
even MS they had fallen when killed
Mtright-with arms extended, and feet
mt all angles TO the field. AS II touched
these dead upturncd faces. strangely
enough il brought out no expression OF
pain nor anguish. but rather as il
death had arrested them only with sur
prise and awe. IL revealed on the lips
OF those who had been mortally
wounded and had turned upon their
side the relief which death had brought
their suffering. sometimes even with q
smile. Mounting higher, IL glanced
upon the actual battle line, curiously
curving for the shelter of walls. fences
md breastworks here the dead
lay, even as when they had lain and
fired. their faces prone in the grass
but their muslSets still resting across
the brcastworlSs. Exposed 90 crap,
and canister from the battery on IN,
ridge, death had come 60 them merci
fully also through the head anS
throat. And now the whole field lay
bare In the sunlight broken with gro
tesque shadows cast from sitting
crouching, half-rccumbent, but always
rigid. figures. that might have beer
cfigies of their own monuments. On
hnlf-knecling soldier, with head bowc'
between his stiffcncd hands, nigh
have stood for carvcn figure Of gric
at th. feet OF his dead comrnde. =
captain shot through the brain in tn
act of mounting wall lay sidcwny
half across IL. his lips parted with tn
word OF command, and the sword still
pointing over the barrier the way tina
they should go.
But 10 was not until the sun ha'
mounted higher that 10 struck the cen
trail horror OF the field and seemed 4
iingcr there in dazzling PERSISTENCE
and then returning 20 10 In startling
flashes. that IL might be seen OF me-
and those who brought succor. A tin.
brook had run obliquely near the battl
line. IL was here that the night befor
the battle friend and foe had Tiled thei
canteens side by side with soldierl
reclIcssness. or perhaps a higher In
stinct. purposely ignoring each other
presence; II was here that the wounds
had afterwards crcpt. crawlcd an
dragged themselves here they hs