The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-12-23

THERE"
farther away for little while, and the mems
| hearts rose with cheer
Now the reinforcements are getting in.
Why in the world don't they send us for
ward 2" they said
The Colonel still sat rieidly, with his face
straight to the front.
Then the noise began to roll nearer again,
and the mems hearts to sink.
The wounded men coming back became
continuous procession. They spoke less conf
IDENTIFY, and were anxious to know what was
taking place on other parts of the line.
1.-The whole internal Southern Confeder-
acy S out there, said one boy. who was holding
his shattered right hand in his left, with his
| thumb pressed hard on the artery, to stanch
the blood, 81 in three lines-of battle, stretch
ing from daybTeak to sunset. The boys have
been standing them off bully, though, but 1
don't know how long they can keep it up.
| Thomas and Crittenden ought to be walking
| right over verythirg for there can't be any
body in front of them. They're all out
| here"
Two musicians came laboTing through,
| CARRYING a stretcher on which was an officer
with part of his face shot away ST felt him
self growing white around the mouth and
sick at the stomach, but he looked the other
way, and drew in long, full breath.
The storm now seemed to be rolling toward
| them at railroad speed. Suddenly the woods
became alive with men running back, some
| with their guns in hands, many without.
Some were white with fear, and silent; some
were in a delirium of rage, and yelling
curses. Officers bareheaded, and wildly ex-
cited, were waving their swords, and calling
regiments and companies by name to halt and
rally.
The Adjutant came galloping back. his
horse knocking the fugitiyes right and left.
He shouted, to make himself heard in the
din:
The whole division is broken and going
back Our brigade is trying to hold the rebels.
They need us at once
The Colonel turned calmly in his saddle
and his voice rang out clear, distinct, and
measured, as if on parade
Attention, 200th Indiana"
Load at will-LOAD!"
A windrow of bright ramrods flashed and
weaved in the air. A wave of sharp, metallic
other.
'Shoulder-ARMS!"
Right-FACE!"
'Forward-MARCH!n
What happened Immediately after emerg-
ing from the ccdars ST could never afterward
distinctly recall. He could only vaguely re-
member-as one does the impressions of q de-
lirium-seeing, as the regiment swung from
column into line, q surging sea OF brown men
dashlng forward against bank of blue run
ming along rail fence, and from which rose
incessant flashes of fire and clouds of white
smoke The 200th Ind rushed down to the
fence, to the right of the Others the fierce
flashes fiared along its 'front.' the white smoke
curled upward from it. He did not remem-
Der any order to begin firing; did not re-
member when he began. He only remem-
bered presently feeling his gun-barrel SO hot
that it b1rned his hand, but this made him
90 on firing more rapidly than before. He
was dimly conscious of his comrades dropping
around him, but this did not affect him. He
also remembered catching sight of Shorty's
face and noticing that it was rs black as that
of q negro, but this did not seem strange
He felt nothing, except q consuming rage
to shoot into and destroy those pillows OF
brown tiends surging necessarily toward him.
Consciousness only came back to him after the
pillows had surged backward into the woods,
leaving the red mud of the field splotched
with brown Jumps, which had lately been
men.
As his mind cleared his hand finched
from the hot gun-barrel, and he looked down
cnr10uSiy to see the ram drops turn INTO
steam as they struck it. His throat was
atire from the terrible powder thirst He
lifted his canteen to his lips and almost
drained it. He drew long breath, and
looked around to see what had happened
since they left the cedars. Shorty was by
his side and unhurt. He now understood
why his face was so black. He could feel
the thick incrustation of powder and sweat
, on his own. Several of Co. Q were groan-
inc on the ground, and the Captain was de-
failing men to carry them back to where the
Surgeon had established himself Two were
, past all surgery, staring with soulless eyes
, into the lowering clouds.
Poor Bill and Ebe," said ST. gazing sor-
rowfullv at the bodies. :" Co q will miss
them. What good boys they -
Were stuck in his throat. That those
strong, active, ever-ready comrades of a few
) minutes before now merely 'were," was
unspeakable.
His thoughts were distracted by rebe
battery on the hill sending yolley of shells
at the fence Some went over, and tore gaps
in the cedars beyond. One struck the corner
of the fence near him, and set the rails IL
5 flying
t Il like fence-rails in their place as well a: