The times., 1897-07-11
GD9OG5GSG 98Ge

the fields and across a highway 10 empty
its waters into a river two or three miles
away-alI these are points which may bring
victory or defeat when d hundred thousand
men grappIe in struggle. The guns rush
for the hills and knobs when they go into
action; the cavalry must have a clean sweep
of the fields if they are to hreak lines of
infantry; the marching battle lines are
broken and thrown into confusion by a
ditch across which farmers boy couIo
spring with ease.
a mile ana half above our right wins
is simple wooden bridge spanning th.
creek TO connect the highway. Above anC
below the bridge are steep banks, over
grown with bushes. farmer or hunter
would plunge edownw ardthrough the bushes,
bound over the babbIing waters without ef-
fort, ana be at the top of the other bank in
a moment. Not so with the battle line.
1t haIts, wayers ana marches by the right
or left flank To find another crossing atove
or below. The guns change position at
a dead run, the cavalry trot or gaIIop;
the infantry move slowly ana grudgingIy,
and waste precious time. a battle is
won or lost because a single brigade loses
d quarter OF an hour in reaching the posi-
aside by waIl-a regiment by railfence.
These are the orders to the captain Of
Company f.
You VIII march your company TO the
bridge ard take up such position as you
think best to prevent the army from cross
ing If attacked by hundred men, hOld
it; il attacked by thousand, do no fan
back If the enemy forces the bridge he
will take our right wing and flank, you
Il understand" replies the captain. Il
am 10 hold he bridge until the lastl'
ITO the last"
Companv' f" marched away by theright
face and was soon lost to sight in the
woods Ir an hour it was throwing up
an earthwOrk a the north end OF the bridge
IL was a simple ridge OF earth, extending
east and west across the high way and into
the fields :Or a distance OF a hundred feet,
with its center stronger and thicker than
its wings When that was finished the
men pulled down small trees aud uprOOted
bushes, clOg2cd the highway to the south
Of the bridge, and heaped distractions on
the bridge itself For two hours they
worked ike farmers, each man straight
euing up now and then to flirt the sweat
from his temples and they then took up
their rnusaets and were ready
Did you ever try to imagine the sounds
created by a great body of tIoops-a di-
vision or a CuIps-mOying fOTwa I'd TO bat
tie? You hear a faT-a way neighing II
horses-a TumbIing OF wheels-the blow
ing Of bugles and the rattle Of drums
All the various sounds go to make up one
general, awesome sound, as if you could
see through Tire forests and over Tie hills
and knew that great TIDAL wave was
sweeping toward you fIOm the shores Of
/ the sea. The sounds come nea-aT and
nearer, and you seem to feel the tramp
/ OF the thousands OF feet-yOU heaTa mighty
muUUering, as of men sColdiuS at each
| other-your ear catches fragments which
| speak OF menace and Ie1H, ana make YOU
| look behind to see if the road is 5Jear for
! flight. 1t j. the march of The sCepteT Of
! death, and its fleshlesS bones rattle as
I it tramps forwa ri over the highways to an
| other feast of blood
| There they come! Steady nowlr
! Tie enemy should have sent a force
forward to seize the bridge three hours
ago, but of the hundred details Of hattie
some are overlooked or some one bIunders.
! In front of the division marching at viii
! over the dusty road is an advance guard
I TO clear the way. In 'front.' of the advance
1 a few cayaIrymen. The latter are first
/ to make the tuIn OF the highway and note
/ the instructions and the eaTthwoTk at the
north end. They smile in derisiOn- In
/ front of them are a hundred men; behind
/ them five bIgades. There VIII be a rush
down thenarrow road with its walls of cIay
over the bridge-over the earthwork-a
/ or a s3afr fr.ur fFe nj
foes-and the scepter Of death VIII hardly
have been halted on its march.
"see and hear 'en, Tom?r queries an
old veteran Of his i"ht-hand man, as he
peers over the top of the earthwork.
Aye, Ren!" is the answer
How many"
"a division, atIeast."
And what are we gOin' to dO?''
Die here, OF course! Didn't the captain
say we were to hold the bridge to the
! Iast?''
But, damn 1t, it amt a fair show!"
protested Ben. Who's fGhun' fifty TO
one and expectin' to come outon tOp?"
Nobody. We are comm out in the
trenches, with two feet Of earth to cover
US up! Feel shaky, old man?''
Mum, but it ANITA fair show"
Better save yer breath. We ain'tloOkiu'
for fair shows just now. Lordy, but W hat a
chance to swipe it to EN-! They are forrnin'
up around the bend, and wen hev 1T red
hot i n about a minit!''
Around the bend OF the road two hun
dred infantry formed up in lines eight
| abreast, the width of the read allow
ed for no more. With bayonets fixed
and muSketS at the trail they waited
for a minute and then made q dash.
From the center of the earthwOrk leaped
Il sheet of flame third OF the way across
the bTidge-from the right and left other
sheets of flame. Every musket had a Tes'
on top of the eartbwoTks-every sight
covered human target. The head OF the
advancing column did not reach the planks
of the bridge. Itmelted awayin the midst
of the Instructions, and forty nenIay dead
| and wounded as the smoke laZiIy dTifteG
away down the stream.
'.Purty fair fur what time we wa
az it, - said Ben, as he rose up for a lo0I
after reIoading.
1--WE ought to got at least twenty more
at sieh cl,s sbootin'.'' growIed Tom il
think the loss OF forty or fifty men wouIt
reply.
They'll come ag'in, OF eourse?"
Don't be a damn fool, Benz Dy,
stop one OF our divisions from gittin
somewhar'sI If you feel tired and sleep,
you'd better ask fur leave to so to Jh
rear"
Say, don't want too much o. yer chin
old manI''
.'ohl yer don't? Wall, you jest ten
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