The Mena star., 1898-08-31
FEELING OF MEN UNDER FIRE.
Statements of Couple of rlen Who
Have Had the Experience.

Men on the Yankee have had to an
swer dozen times the question:
''How does it feel to be under fire?"
Every friend who climbs abca ard the
trim little auxiliary cruiser to see a
former chum shakes grImy hand and
bombards the able seaman with the
question. As matter of fact, only
few of the boys are able to explain
their feelings and say: "Oh, l don't
know. You get used to it.
General Furlong, who was member
of Grants staff and participated in
battles from Arkansas to Appomattox,
says any man who says he isn't afraid
nader fire tells an untruth.
s'You don't get used to it; or at least
] never did" said the general a few
nights ago. ''Sheriden said be never
got used to it. and don t believe any
body ever does. 1t isn't courage that
keeps a man at the front; it's pride
liked TO leave the front, but | couldn't
afford to do so. 1t wasn't courage that
kept me where stood; 1t was pride,
and the knowledge of the fact that if
ran I'd be disgraced.
when the boys come back from the
front they will tell the same story.
was on old General A. j. Smiths staff
in the Red river campaign. There was
an opening in our lines and the two
lines of battle were about 500 yards
apart
General Smith gave me a dispatch
to carry to the right of the line. I
could have ridden behind our own lines
and delivered it. AS | started to do so
he said: That way sir, pointing to
the opening. To go out and ride to our
right was to pass between the fire of
our own men and the Confederates.
My heart went mp into my throat. |
expected TO be killed | started with
two orderlies, aud they were killed
before we bad gone two hundred feet.
1 was shot IN the leg and got through.
It wasn't courage that kept me up; it
was pride and orders.
Ten years afterward, in st. Louis |
met General Smith. | said to him:
General it's all over now. but why did
you send me down between those two
lines to carry that dispatch? The
general looked at me and sand:
"sWell, | wanted to impress on our
men that there wasn't anything terri
bile about the fire, andathat the officers
sseren't afraid of it,
On board the Yankee the boys wed
could be. There is no doubt that the
majority of them thoroughly appreci
ated the danger they were in. A mem
Der of gun crew No. j, talking of the
feeling, said;
81 was awfully anxious to see ar
engagement, and at Santiago hac
enough to last me. When we banged
away. gun after gun, until you could
not hear yourself think, / felt little
queer. Every time shot came IN oul
direction | said. oh Lord and was
glad when it passed over.
"At Cienfuegos, where Kennedy
was injured, | didn't see him. If
had, suppose ] would have wilted.
The bows who were serving the guI
with him, however, held out. and
after making him comfortable, wen
on with the game. No spot ON board
a ship is safe in battle, and that fac
adds TO a mans being brave. lis
knows he can't get away, and he ism
going to show white feather; so h,
sticks. Some boys, made of mere be
role clay, may not feel any fear or b,
callons to fate; but IN inclined to be
lieve that, like myself, when shells
are whistling, they'd rather be out o
it.
The man who said this is one of TIL,
best men in the reserve No mar
worked harder at gun than he Il
When the Yankee was in action anc
the question of how it feels to be un
der Are is still open to discussion.
For broken surfaces. sores, insec