The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-06-11
HIS FIRST FIGHT.

y friend of mine, soldier, who died
in Greece Of 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. 1t was as
follows:
Ijoined my regiment on Sept 4 1t
was evening. 1 found the colonel in the
camp. He received mo rather brusQue-
~. but having read the generals intro
ductory letter he changed his manner
and addressed mo courteously.
By him I was presented to my cap
tain. who had Just come in from recon-
noitering. This captain, whose acQuaint-
ancc 1 had scarcely time to make, was
a tall, dark man of harsh, repelling as
pcct. He had been private soldier and
had won his cross and epaulcts upon
the field of battle. His voice, which was
hoarse and feeble, contrasted strangely
with his gigantic stature. This voice of
his he owed, as 1 was told. to bullet
which had passed completely through
his body ut the battle of Jena
On learning that had just como from
college Mt Fontainebleau, he remarked
with n WY face, my lieutenant died
last night.
understood what he inplied-"It is
for You to take his place, and you are
good for nothing"
A sharp retort was on my tongue, but
/ restrained it
The moon was rising behind the re-
doubt of ChevcrinO which stood two
e.1,<
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-
semblcd the cone of d volcano at the mo-
ment Of eruption.
An old soldier at whose side found
myself observed the color of the moon.
''She is very red, " he said. lit is q
sign that it will cost us dear TO win this
wonderful redoubt, -
Twas always superstitious, and this
piece of augury, coming Mt that mo-
ment, troubled me I sought my couch,
but could not sleep. rose and walked
about awhile, watching the long line of
fires upon the heights beyond the village
of ChevcrinO
When the sharp night air had thor
oughly refreshed my blood, went back
to the fire. l rolled my mantle round
me, and | shut my eyes, trusting not TO
open them till daybreak- But sleep re-
fused to visit me Insensibly my
thoughts grew dolcfuL I told myself
that l had not II friend among the l00,-
900 men who filled that plain If l
We're wounded. l should be placed i'll
hospital in the hands of ignorant and
careless surgeons. 1 called to mind what
had heard of operations My heart
beat violently, and 1 mechanically ar
ranged us a kind of rude cuirass my
handkerchief and pocketbook upon my
breast Then, overpUwered 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
oUo uOoul % " I'LL ulu -Qc-tSl1IlD
arrived with orders We were com
manded to take arms
Our sharpshooters marched into the
plain. We followed slowly, and in 30
minutes we saw the outposts of the
Russians falling back and entering the
redoubt. We had battery of artillery
on our right, another on our left, but
both some distance in advance of us
They opened 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 ut us, for they preferred TO fire
upon our cannoneers) whistled over us
or at worst knocked up a shower of
earth and stones.
just rs the order to advance was Civ
EN- the captain looked at me intently. I
stroked my sprouting mustache with an
air OF unconcern. In truth, l was not
frightened md only dreaded lest might
be thought so. These passing bullets
aided my heroic GOODNESS, while NV self
respect assured me that the danger was
n real one, since l was vcritably 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
Cbeyerino.
The colonel passed before our com.
pany. "Well," he said TO me, "you are
going TO see warm work in your first oc
ton"
gave martial smile and brushed
off my cuff. on which a bullet which