The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-09-22

hsversack. Their solicitude lest1that KNAPP
sack, gun, haversack and caneen should fal
into the hands of the enemy is really touch
ing"
All told the SINE story: Sherman, Prem
tiss and McClerrand had been attacked 10y
| overwhelming numbers, who were cuttng
them to pieces, i'll spite of the desperate re-
| sistance they were making.
Suddenly attention was drawn from these
to the skirmishers standing in front, at the
farther side of the clearing. They had beer
gazing eagerly into the dense scrubbv black
jack that covered the marsh beyond the dead
enng. All were stoop ng and some hal
kneelirg. that they might see under the low
| hanging limbs. All at once they seemed tt
notice something: they brought their guns te
| a ready fired, and ran back shouting:
THEY'RE comi.ig! They're comingr'
The bows hearts leaped to their mouths and
they nervouSly touched their muskets. Many
who, IN their eagerness to peer into the
woods, had mounted logs, stumps and fences,
now hastened to resume their places. The
Colonels rode along in the rear and said
. BE cool and steady. boys. Don't fire
till you have orders, and then give it to them.
Aim low; take 'em in the belly or legs
bullet there is worth half dozen
anywhere elsei"
Not a man of the rebels had yet been seen
by those standing in the main line. Then
their ewes caught line of three-barred flags
over the tops of the scrubby blackjack
Those who carried them were hidden by the
shrubbery, but the regularity OF the line
showed they were moving in perfect order
There was enough breeze to float the figs
and the bright colorS shone in the morning
sunshine. They halted and stood fast, and
the suspense of those waiting for them he
came almost unbearable. Brains were burn
ing, hearts standing STILL tongues SILENT and
eyes fixed upon the pOrtentous unierbrusn.
The only words spoken were: "Why don't
they come On?''
TO the right of the road ING to Corinth
WAS clump of plum bushes, which projected
beyond the rest Of the shrubbery.
This was seen to stir with the cOmmotion
that the infantrymen could not understand
But the I'd Mo. battery understood. and
broke the awful suspense with crashing
yolley into the clump that cut down the
plum bushes ike so much grass But the
rebel battery which had been planted there
replied insanity with volley that carried
destruction to the I'd Mos men and horses.
Then began q fierce artillery duel at muir
derously short range. The I'd Mo. was over
whelmed, and its dead and dying men and
horses covered the ground The survivors
stood galiantly to their guns and worked
them with desperate energy. On the right,
in W. H. l.. Wallace's Division stood an Ohio
bittery, which opened a cross-fre upon the
rebel guns to help the I'd Mo out. At this
another rebel battery came dashing up, and
engaged the Ohoans The I'd Mo- men
were soon all killed or wounded and their
guns voiceies5. Then the two rebel bat
terles turned their attention 10 the OHIO bat
terry, and sienced it.
For few minutes after the crash of the
guns ceased all was quiet, save for the never
easing roar OF the hght on Shermans and
Prem tlss's front.
Above the underbrus'i, behind the flags,
vas seen "a broal-brimned hat carried on
he point of n sword as if a rebel officer were
'iding along encouraging his men. Our Off
er5 role up and do syn the lines repeating
heir in5tru ;ti)a5 to stand steady and fire
ow.
Snddealy the rebel line emerged from its