Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-05-31
AT CHICKAMAUGA.
"This is satanic!"

ldue. Shilling tne DdtUlo DOOR
drifting up from Chickamauga creek, the
captain responded:
SWELL, old fellow, 1t certainly smells
like it. How are you off for water?"
"Hayon't even Il canteen. Lost it in our
countercharge. Look out, cap! Here she
comesl' And the lieutenant pulled the
captain closer to the earth on which both
lay.
"rHug your mother, boys!' This from
the mon to the right and left. Behind a
hastily constructed breastwork at the base
of Snodgrass hill the ragged remnant of
the Third rifles flattened themselves, face
down, as a shell from Bragg whisked to
the earth 30 yards outside and burst with
a molten glare and asplintering roar. The
dust of four weeks on the red. rough
to a rusty ten. The faces were SO brown
as to give the light eyed men a wild, I'M
canny look. In the past 4S hours amMu-
milton had been served six times, and ra-
tions-not at all. Three times this Sab
bath afternoon Of Sept. 20, 1888, Long
street veterans, with their hats slouched
over their fares like men facing a cutting
wind, with the cries of maddened eagles,
had rushed against the hill, and each time
Thomas remaining artillery roared def
ance from the slopes, held by six shattered
brigades OF the Army Of the Cumberland.
AS each Charge had been preceded by a
fierce cannonading Of the Union position,
the increasing roar put the rifles on the
alert.
Let 'em come again, hang 'em!'
"Think we're recruits, ehf"
"We amt to be druvl'
"Not much. When we're ready to leave,
they won't he in no humor to follow"
"Wish they'd hurry up and have it
overt"
There were other and more forceful ex.
pressions from tho men peering between
the logs through which protrudsd the
muzzles of their rifles. Two young men,
lying IN their faces to the right of the
lieutenant, varied the monotony of dodg-
ing shells with a pack of ~disreputably
dirty cards. In lieu Of money they used
buttons cut from the coats of dead men in
blue and dead men In gray. Each player
had buttons Of one kind, and as they were
evenly matched in skill they forgot in
their mimic contest the deadly struggle
SOlhS VII w VlO llSuV anu uSll CA DIS IL al
the barn at home.
Don't go to sleep, boysl They'll DO
here soonl' The captains warning was
called out by the gradual cessation Of the
artillery fire over the river. Meanwhile
the guns On Snodgrass hill were SO silent
as to lead some Of the mon to fear the IN
munition was exhausted.
"Wait, boys, till the Johnnies show up,
and you'll see Pap Thomas amt the man
to keep guns to the front unless he's got
powder fodder to feed 'em,' - said a grimy
sergeant beside the two card players, who
were now blowing the dust from the hind
sights Of their rifles. After an anxious
wait and a sigh Of relief at the failure Of
tho enemy to try the red experiment again,
the captain sat up and said to his lieu
tenant:
II think, Burton, the worst is over for
today. Thank God, the sun will be down
soon!"
"He looks red enough to have washed
III the Chiokanauga. Hello! What's up
in the woods out there?" asked Burton.
II see nothing unusual, - said the cap.
tain.
Since the failure of tho last charge on
the center the enemy had been keeping up
a close and persistent attack on the right.
From this point came tho incessant roar
and ring Of cannon and rifle, cutting
through which yells and defiant cheers
could be heard. Across the front ~cottony
heaps of powder smoke rolled, growing
luminous and crimsoned as if being blood
dyed.
Cant you see the black smoke blend
ing with the white over there?" And the
lieutenant pointed to the woods in front.
Eyes; but what Of itf"
"You know what it means.
Like all smoke, it means fire, :" laughed
the captain.
"That's it. It means tho woods are on
fire. They are as dry as punk. just think
Of 1t, cap!"
II think we have in all our wounded.
What matters 1t to the deadf"
"Nothing, cap; but the enemyl Ny
Godl There are at least 200 wounded men
in gray along the edge Of that timber!
Look at that splintered oak about a hum
bred yards to the right"
81 see it, and I've noticed through my
glass that there ia a young officer lying
wounded at the foot. He'll crawl in ii the
fire comes mean him" said the captain as
he scratched a match on his rusty sword
scabbard and lit his pipe.
A few minutes and mourning wreatha
Of black smoke draped about the barked
trees and drifted across the face of the set
ting sun, hurrying the night. Tongues Of
flames Missed out from the Garth. Snakes
Of flames licked up the powder dry leaves
and coiled up the shot riddled black jacks
To the right and left and back and forth
the fire fell and rose and roared In red rage
under the whip Of the increasing wind.
Now and then a shell hurled over from
Bragg's center and burst before or on
Thomas hill.
II Lieutenant Burton had said, "This Ii
helll'' he would have been nearer the truth
than at first. Now many men said it, and
all thought II.
"They ain I a-ccminV"
"They got enough last time"
aLongstreet's found; he's out west
nowr"
"Well, his crowd are good fighters.
mot a bit better'n Bragg'sl' shouted a
Missourian, who was known to have 4
contempt for the eastern men on both
sides.
and shrieks Of agony came from the heart
Of the oonfagration. A horse, with help,
lass hind legs, drew himself to the edge d
the timber and with his fore legs paving
at the ground in front he looked appeal
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