The National tribune., 1898-01-13

lay the somber, portentous line of brown
clad men. Beyond them rose the steeples
and roofs of the sleepy old town of Murirees-
boro', with crowds of men and women occupy
ing every point of vantage, TO witness the re
newal of the awful battle.
1t was now long past noon. The bright
sun had long ago scattered the chill mists of
the morning, and radiated warmth and light
over the dun landscape Even the somber
cedars lost some of the fnnereal gloom they
wore when the skies We're lowering.
There go two brigades across the river, y
said ST. We're goin' to try to turn their
right. y
They saw q long line of men file down the
| river bank, cross, and 20 into line on the high
ground beyond. Their appearance seemed
to stir the brown mass lying on the nights a
mile in front of them to action The rebels
began swarming out OF their works and NOV
ing forward into the woods
Presently a thin line of men in butternut-
colored clothes ran forward TO fence in 'front.'
and began throwing it down. Behind them
came three long brown lines, extending from
near the river to the woods far away to the left
Batteries galoped i'll the intervals 10 knolls
on which they unlimbered and opened fire.
1t was an overpowering mass of men for the
two little brigades to resist Sis heart al
most stood still, as he saw the inequality of
the contest
why don't they send rs over there to help
those men," he anxiously asked They
can't stand up against that awful crowd"
Just wait, ;" said Shorty, hopefully. old
Rosy knows what he's dom. He's got enough
here for the business"
II. a.
in torrents OF Shells but SIS eyes were glued
on the two little brigades. He saw the white
spurts from the skirmshers' rifles and men
drop among the rebels, who yet moved slowly
forward, like some all-engulfng torrent.
The skirmishers ran back to the main line.
and along its front sped burst of smoke rs
each regiment fired by volley. The foremost
rebel line 9uivered a little, but moved
steadily on.
Then a cloud of white smoke hid both
Union and rebel lines, and from it came the
sound as of thousands of carpenters hammering
away industriously at nails
Presently 81 was agonized TO see fringe
of blue break back from the bank of smoke,
and run rapidly to the rear. They were fol-
lowed by regiments falling back slowly, in
order and turning at the word of command
to deliver yolleys in the faces of their yelling
pursuers.
81 looked at his Colonel, and saw him
anxiously watching the brigade commander
for orders to rush across the river to the assist
ance Of the two brgades
Suddenly, there was whirl in front A
battery gallOped up, the drivers lashing the
horses, the cannOneers sitting stoidly on the
limbers with their arms folded 1t swept by
to a knoll in front and to the right. which
commanded the other side of the river In
stantly the gunners sprang to the ground,
the cannon were tossed about as if they were
playthings, and before 81 could fairly wink
he saw the guns lined mp on the bank. the
the drivers standing by the horses heads, and
the cannons belching sayagel} into the fianks
of the horde of rebels
Then another battery swept up alongside
the first, and another. until IS guns crowned
the high banks and Numbered until the earth
shook as with the ague. A deluge of iron
swept the fields where the mighty host of
rebels were advancing. Tops were torn out
OF trees and fell with crash, fence-raiis and
limbs Of oak went madly flying through the
ar, regiments and brigades disappeared before
the awful blast
For few minutes 81 and Shorty stood
appalled, at the deafening crash and the shock
reel and fly before the tornado of death
great shout rose from thousands of ex-
cited men standing near Regiments and
brigades started as with one impulse to rush
across the river and pursue the flying enemy
The 2O0th Ind. was one of these No one
heard any orders from the officers The men
caught the cOntagion of victory and rushed
forward, sweeping with them the lately de-
teated brigades, hurrying over the Yreckage
OF the cannon fire, over the thickly-strewn
dead and wounded, and gathering in prison
ers. flags, and cannon.
They went on so nearly to the breastworks
behind which the rebels were seeking shelter.
81 and Shorty were among the foremost A
few hundred yards from the rebel works 81
fell to the ground without groan. Shorty
saw him, and ran to him. The side of his
head was covered with blood, and he was
m0tionless.
Stone dead-bulet plum through his
head, said the agonized Shorty But there
was no time for mourning the fallen The
pursuit was still hot, and Shorty's dutv was
in front. He ran ahead until the Colonel
halted the regiment. Fresh rebels were
lining up in the breastworks and threatening
a return charge which would he disastrous
The Colonel hastily reformed the regiment to
meet this, and. slowly withdrew it in good
order to resist any counter-attack After
marching mile or more the regiment halted
and went into bivouac. The rejoicing men
started great fires and set about getting sup
per But the saddened Shorty had no heart
for rejoicing over the victory, or for supper.
He drew off from the rest. sat down at the
roots of an oak, wrapped the cape of his over
coat about his face, and abandoned himself
to his bitter grief Earth had no more JOY
for him He wished he had been shot at the
same time his partner was. He could think
of nothing but that poor boy lying there
dead and motionless on the cold ground
He felt that he could never think of anything
else, and the sooner he was shot the better it
would be-
The other boys respected his grief At
first they tried to tempt him to eat something
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