The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1898-01-14
HOLDING THE BRIDGE
BY CHARLES d. LEWIS.

a
its waters into u river two or three miles
away-all these are points which may
bring victory or defeat when 100, 900 men
grapple in q struggle The guns rush for
the hills and knobs when they go into ac
ton; the cavalry must have a clear sweep
of the fields if they are to break lines of
infantry; the marching battle lines are
broken and thrown into confusion by
ditch across which a farmers boy could
spring with case,
A mile and half above our right wing
is simple wooden bridge spanning the
creek to connect the highway. Above and
below the bridge are steep banks, over
grown with bushes. A farmer or hunter
would plunge downward through the
bushes, bound over the babbling waters
without effort and be at the top of the
other bank in q moment. Not so with the
battle line. 1t halts, wavers and marches
| by the right or left flank to find another
crossing above or below. The guns change
position at dead run; the cavalry trot or
gallop; the infantry move slowly and
grudgingly and waste precious time. A
battle is won or lost because single bri-
gade loses quarter of an hour in reach
ing the position assigned to it. A division
is turned aside by wall, regiment by
a rail fence. These are the orders to the
captain of Company f;
"You will march your company to the
bridge and take up such position as you
think best to prevent the army from cross
ing. If attacked by hundred men, hold
it; If attacked by thousand, do not fall
back. If the enemy forces the bridge, he
will take our right wing and flank, you
understand.
81 understand, replies the captain. 81
am to hold the bridge to the last.
ITO the last"
Company marched away by the right
face and was soon lost to sight in the
woods. In an hour it was throwing up
an earthwork at the north end of the
bridge. 1t was simple ridge of earth, ex-
tending east and west across the highway
and into the fields for a distance of 100
feet, with its center thicker and stronger
than its wings When that was finished,
the men pulled down small trees and up
rooted bushes, clogged the highway to the
south of the bridge and heaped obstruc-
tons on the bridge itself. For two hours
they worked like farmers, each man
strengthening up now and then to flirt the
sweat from his temples, and they then
took up their muskets and were ready.
Did you ever try to imagine the sounds
created by great body OF troops-a di-
vision or corps-moying forward to bat
tie? You hear faraway neighing of
horses, q rumbling of wheels, the blow
ing Of bugles and the rattle of drums
All tho various sounds 60 to make up one
general awesome sound as if you could
see through the forests and over the hills
and knew that great tidal wave was
sweeping toward you from the shores of
tho sea. The sounds come nearer and
nearer, and you seem to feel the tramp of
the thousands of feet, You hear mighty
muttering, as of men scolding at each
other. Your ear catches fragments which
speak of menace and peril and make you
look behind to see if the road is clear for
flight. 1t is the march of the specter of
death, and its 1eshless bones rattle as it
, tramps forward over the highways to an
other feast of blood.
"There they come Steady now"
The enemy should have sent force for
ward to seize the bridge three hours ago,
but of the hundred details of battle some
. are overlooked or some one plumbers. In
front of the division marching at will over
the dusty road is an advance guard to
} clear the way; in front of the advance a
few cavalrymen. The latter are first to
make the turn Of the highway and note
the distractions and the earthwork at the
north end. They smile in derision. In
front of them are 100 men; behind them
five brigades There will be q rush down
the narrow road with its walls of clc -,
over the bridge, over the earthwork, a
score Of dead and wounded friends and
= foes, and the specter of death will hardly
( have been halted on its march.
"See and hear 'em, Tom2" queries ar
old veteran Of his right hand man as he
peers over the top of the earthwork.
"Aye, Benz is the answer.
"How many%
ga division at least.
"And what are we goin to doS''
ode here, CT counsel Didn't the cap
tain say we were to hold the bridge to tn,
last. ,"
"But, d-n it, it amt q fair show, ,
protested Ben. "Who's hghtin 90 to !
and expectin to come out On top?"
Nobody. We are comm out in tn,
trenches with two feet of earth to cover III
up. Feel shaky, old manf''
"Num, but it amt fair show. "
"Better save yer breath. We amt look
in for fair shows Jest now. Lordy, bu
s what chance to swipe it to EN- The!
are formin up around the bend, and wei
hev it redhot in about a minitl"
Around the bend of the road 200 infan
try formed up in lines eight abreast. Tn
width of the road allowed for no more
h With bayonets fixed and muskets at th
trail they waited for minute and thel
= made a dash. From the center of th
earthwork leaped a sheet Of flame thirt
= of the way across the bridge-from tn
right and left other sheets of flame. Ever
e musket had rest on top of the earthworl
every sight covered a human target
IS The head of the advancing column did no
,e reach the planks of the bridge. 1t melte'
away in the midst of the distractions, &
II create other distractions, and 40 men la
= dead and wounded as the smoke lazil
% 6rifted away down the stream.
Purity fair fur what time we was at it,