The National tribune., 1898-12-08

recognizing 81 and the rest, and coming
back shook Lieut.. Bowersox warmly by the
hand. saying:
Great God, Lieutenant, I've always beer
glad TO see you, but | never was so glad t.
see man in my life as / am you this min
ute. How many men did You bring?"
''Pve got 12S with me-" answered th,
Lieutenant. What's the situation 2"
g You have? Well, you've got more thar
we have left. You'll act as MAJOR. Poo
Wilkinson just got his dose. You can SCI
him living down there in rear OF the left
Put your men III anywhere Mix them NJ
with the Others. 1t don't matter much about
formation. The main things to stand anC
shoot. The rebels have been charging us al
afternoon, but we have whipped them back
every time
You can see our work ont there fpoint,
ing to the slope in front, which was literally
covered with dead and wounded). I've
thought every time that they couldn't stand
another such slaughter, but they've rallied
In those woods there and come out again
with their internal yell, just as before. The
last time it seemed to me that we Just swept
them off the face of the earth, and / don't
see how in Gods name they can stand any
more OF that sort of thing. It's worse
killing than we gave them at Stone River.
1t seems to me that hell has let out Tor noon,
and sent all its devils to reinforce them
But it will soon be night now, when they II
have to stop. If they don't Well have to de-
pend on the bayonet, for we haven't five
rounds apiece left, and / can't get more any
where"
81 and Shorty had been distributing the
detachment along the line, and had posted
the Englishman and his squad of Irishmen
with themselves, around the tattered colors,
which were now III the hands of the last sur
vivor of the Color Guard, who was himself
wounded
Dusk was fast coming on, when the woods
beyond the foot of the slope began to darken
again with masses of men arraying in column
of assault
They're coming again." called out Capt
McGillicuddy. Lieut.. Bowersox, look out
there for the left. Men, if we haven stopped
them when we've fired our last shot, We'll
fix bayonets and charge them. We must
keep them off this hill or die right here"
He was answered with cheers. A demonac
yell from 10000 fierce threats rang through
the woods, and the next instant thunder and
flames burst from the sweeping crescent of
rebel cannon, and the ground in front of the
foot OF the hill was hidden from view by the
tide OF men rushing over it.
fierce storm of cannon and musketry
from the crest Of the hill AS they
ST and Shorty saw In quick gances
that the rebel line to the right and left
seemed beaten to standstill by the terrific
storm which fell upon them, but in their i'm
mediate front body of men, apparently
regiment. kept stubbornly forging forward.
Upon their flag, held CALAMITY aloft, could
be made out the letters Miss"
BY the time every shot in the cartridge
boxes had been fired at them they had forced
their way half-up the slope.
Attention, 20Oth Indiana" shouted
Capt. McGillicuddy. Dress on the colors
Fix bayonets."
They g Injiannians," shouted the
rebel Color-Sergeant, waving his flag de-
ianty. Come on, you HooSiers. We'uns
8 Mississippians. Remember Buny Visty
lnJiannians S towards"
Shorty, les have that ere flag" said ST.
Les" said Shorty, pushing around the
ring that locked his bayonet on.
Forward-Marchl Charge !" shouted
Capt. McGillicuddy
OF the mad whirl of an eternity of events
N the next few minutes neituer ST nor