The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-01-13
FART I.

I found IL neither a pleasant nor ar
easy task TO force IDy way through tho
underground which fourished in such
thick and tangled fashion. and the
smarting OF nay wound, slight though
the latter was. for the ball had merely
cut the flesh of my wrist. contributed
TO both my bodily aud mental suffering.
The faint flashes OF summer lightning
in the hot June night gave brief and
imperfect glimpses of masses of low,
scruboy trees. with interlacing bushes
and briars, and an occasional pool of
dirty and discolored water, riIlmed in
by the Virginia mud, sticky and yellow.
into which tioundercd more than once.
when the friendly lightning was not
at hand. Then. pulling myself out again.
-tore my clothes and skin on the clumps
of briars that caught me. as blindly
plunged forward. Two hours of such
work and, with the feeling of delight
that sbipwrccked sailor must eX-
pcricnce when he sees rescuing sail,
struck beaten track. True, IL was
not much. Merely path. where the
underground had been crushed down, rs
IL by some very heavy weight, probably
a train OF artillery, for l trod in the
ruts cut by wheels. But il enabled
ire TO advance with much greater speed
and less danger to my person, and would
undoubtedly lead me to the main body
Of the army.
\ large rain drop splashed in my
face. and then another, and soon
torrent came down. IpLodded on, while
the rain beat upon me. on to The right
heard the frequent booming OF cannon.
Twice shells came shriehing high over
Inc. and | inyoiun;arily duckcd my
head II; the noise. for | was not yet an
old enough soldier to cure myself OF
the habit. My wound had now ceased
10 pain me. but the bitterness of my re-
flectians was sufficient torment. l had
come up the Peninsula with the great
army, 10 obtain my first taste Of war.
Often had l. like many another young
soldier in that gallant body of men,
painted roseate pictures OF victory. pro-
motion. rewarded patriotism and re-
united country. With light heart had
] encountered the tolls and derrivations
of the advance. l had the enthusiasm
OF youth, and was daunted by no OBJ
<tacle. | did not fear the fever bred
in the swamps of the Chic kahominy.
which cut down our men as III we were
standing in front of the eremy's ar
tillery. did my share, and twice my
share, of the work which tries soldier
more than fighting. took an ax and
helped TO build roads through the
swamps. and bridges over the swollen
streams. Then tugged at the wheels ,
Of the cannon stuck i'm the mud. and
ut night did picket duty in the dense
forests. and sometimes. in the dark
ness. heard n Confederate bu let hiss |
by r,e But all the time we were |
checred by the knowledge that we were |
advancing. We thought of nothing but |
forward. forward, and our hardships |
were forgotten in the reflection that |
at e~ch sunset we We're nearer to the
euen,y's capital.
Tho reverse side of the picture had
come quickly enough. l thought. AZ
] stumbled into the miry edge of n small
brook that ran across the path. The
prize was almost within our hand. j
had even seen. one bright morning,
the spires OF Richmond glittcring in
the sunshine--aud then we were turned
back. Fer moment | felt a regret
that had not been taken prisoner by
the enemy i'm TIC last battle, when ]
was cut of from my regiment, instead
of escaping through their lines 10
struggle among the woods as best
could. in the effort to join the retreat
ing army. The greatness of my antici'
rutions had made the repulse the more
mortifying.
The voices of the night repeat tn"
word. retreat, retreat, retreat. Tho
very shells that sang over my hend hal
hut ore tune. and it was. retreat, re-
treat. retreat. The FLASHING Of the rain
formed the same sound and began TO
yepent IL o myself as kind OF chorus.
AZ last saw a light. far ahead and
faint. hut very cheerful in the dark
ness and rain. was sure that | had
oyeriakcn n portion Of our rear guard.
but. nls came nearer. | saw that il was
n house standing in email CLEARING.
anil tho light came from one OF the
windows. There were no pickcts al,out,
no evidences OF encampment. and 7
knew that our men were not near.
Evidently IL was occupied by n family
which. more fearless than others in
that region. had not taken itself from
this battle ground end gone 10 Ricn-
mond. or some similar place OF Sc
cnrity. Though IL was risky business
IN linger with the enemy so close be-
hird. ] was tired and hungry. and hal
lost my way. and determined TO hill
them. ard get something 20 cot anil
news of the army. II I could. went
up 20 thc door ard knocked lightly ON
n with the muz-lc of my rife. re-
reafsd the stroke two or three times be-
fore nnn's voice cal,~d on, md asked
who was. Ircplicd that .'as Union
soldier who had been cut on from his
command. and wished 10 obtain infor-
nation that would guide him 20 tho
army.