Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1896-04-03

anu HIleT NTTdulS uISb VdtIlO III lhO
Wilderness we found Confederate
with twenty-three bullet wounds
in his dead body.
Aud there was more than the
fearof missiles before the eyes of The
wounded men. If infantry charg
ed over them they might not sut
fer, but If a battery changed posi-
tion or there was a charge OF cayal'
~ they might be ground into the
earth. When in his normal con
dition a cavalry horse will not step
on the body of man lying In b s
path, but when excited to madness
by the roar of battle the steeds OF
war will trample down anything
The wounded men lying about
must take their chances when the
bugles blew a charge. Some would
escape the iron.shod hoofs-others
would be almost beaten In the
earth. It. was the same way ii a
battery was retired or advanced
The change of position was made
with horses on the dead run, and
their riders could take no thought
of the dead and wounded lying IN
the way. The fate of brigade or
division, or even a wing of the
army, might be at stake. and the
sacrifice of score of men already
wounded did not count. When
the guns were advanced at Chan
celIorsviIle to check Jackson's
twilight attack the earth was fair
ly numbered with the dead and
wounded. On the few acres OF
cIeared ground over which the guns
bad to advance were camp fires.
knApsscks, haversAc's, stacked
muskets. and several hundred men
who had fallen under the vOlleys
poured IN from the edge OF the ior
est, The guns dashed right in o
aud over this Inbl-, aud above
tie roar of mnskrtry from The on'
coming Couiederates we caught
the screams and ShrltkS OF our
wounded men as the, re ,Iized that
death was TO come under tue heavy
wheels.
The burial parties were AWAY
pushed for time, AMI yet there was
time 10 look into the faces and OBJ
serve the attitude of the dead aud
notice that death seldom came to
two alike. Some suffered agOnles
from their wOunds-Others died as
peacefully as if no twlnge of pain
had been felt. Some had Their
lips parted as if praying to God or
utteriDg farewells to the loved ones
at home-others bad lips com
pressed and their faces showed
grim determination or anger
Sometimes a wounded man hah
crawled away Into the bushes or
behind stump or log TO die. y"
his bronzed cheeks, partly bleach
ed by tn touch OF death, we would
find traces of tear-, and the hard
lines would be softened down
When struck down as they moved
and diving within a few minutes
they carried fierce, stern faces and
clenched hands, and nearly always
their eyes were vide open and
their lips parted to show theiI
teeth. If the musket had not fal
len from their hands under the
shock of the missile it was clencn'
cd so tightly that their stlfenec
fingers had to be opened one bJ
one.
There was no pity for the wOund
ed while the fight was on. NOV
and then it was possible to alleYi'
ate thirst, OF in case Of an oficel
TO carry him to the rear, but th'
unwounded had little thought ol
the fallen. 1t was only whtf
night came down aAd the roar o.
battle had died out to a growing
apd splutrering here and there Una
a new sound rose on the evepint
air to pale the faces of the veteran
lying about with open haversacKs
1t was a sound heard only on BAT
tle6eld, alter a battle. 1t was
sound which began like the far'oI
murmur of mighty crowd-whlcl
came nearer and nearer-whIcl
swelIed in volume till it drowned
all other sounds-whicb separated
itself from, the shouts OF men
neighlng of horses, peale OF huRle
and raJtle of drums, Que gre"
overpowering wall from the thou
sands of Won nded men which wen
right to the heart anh eAuse'
every man to lift his head an
whisper: Poor fellows-God Pt
them !"