The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1898-07-21
THE PATHOS OF WAR.
By CHARLES B. LEWIS.


When Stonewall Jackson marched by
the flank out of fredericksburg and
struck Hooker at Charlottesville the
blow came as swift as flash of light
ming and with awful force. Jackson's
march had been concealed by the for
est; it was in the dense woods that he
swung to the right and formed his bat
tie lines; it was under the trees tina:
they fell upon the unsuspicious and un
prepared federals. There was no skir-
posted In that direction. OF sudden
the battle lines in gray came sweeping
through the forest, and it was only a
minute after the frs, gun was fired be-
fore the darkness was lighted up with
the flames of volieys. Hundreds of
federals were killed-hundreds wound
ed-ihousands driven back. In ten
minutes there were hundred little
bonfres in the woods; in half an hour
the conflagration was driving the con-
federates out.
When reenforcements had come up
and Jackson's advance had been
checked, details of men were sen: into
the blazing forest to rescue the wound
ed. A thousand federals stacked their
muskets, stripped themselves cf KNAPP
sacks and haversacks, and retaining
only canteens rushed forward on the
mission of mercy. Here and there a
dead tree was blazing fiercely, but most
OF the fire was among the leaves and
underbrush. The smoke was thick and
suffocating, sparks and brands were
flying and whirling and the shrieks and
cries of the wounded made it a hell
spot. 1t was easy here to separate the
wounded from the dead. The peril of
fire had brought them out of the be-
numbed condition which follows the
shock OF bullet and sometimes lasts
for two or three hours, and they were
creeping about and cursing or vailing
1t was horror within horror
There was but one way 10 rescue them
AS soon as reached, each was picked up
by two men in the handiest way posi-
BILE and carried out of the woods. The
rough treatment tortured them till
they cried out Ike madmen and cursed
their rescuers. Where wounded ma n
had fallen among the leaves and brush
the flames were licking at him; where
be lay in the open he was shrieking
like terrified child. The thousand
men had been sent in too late to save
all. They met a wall of fire which the v
could not pass. They dashed at it only
to be scorched and singed and blistered
and driven back. Beyond that wall they
could hear the cries of the wounded,
but there was no getting at them.
Darkness had come on without air
enough stirring to flare a candle, and
outside of the forest the stiffness con-
tinued. Under the treetops, however.
as soon as the flames got fairly started
there were gusts of wind which picked
up the blazing leaves and limbs ard
carried them into the treetops or far
away. AT one spot, where the bushes
had caught and held great bed of
leaves, lay five or six federals as they
had been shot down. Three at least
were only wounded, for we heard them
crying for help. and as the flames
leaped up and the smoke whirled away
for an instant. we saw them waving
their caps and struggling TO get up
We shouted to encourage them, and
were hurrying towards them, almost on
hands and knees, to keep below the
suffocating smoke, when a great bal
of fire sailed down in front of US and
fell upon them. In an instant the bed
of leaves and bushes was ablaze and
they were cut off.
l saw but one wounded man come
out of that hell unassisted. We had
done our best and been forced back tc
the open field by the flames, when a
soldier came hobbling out. His cloth
ing was on fire in a dozen places, his
hair singed and his face and hands
blistered. When he was clear of the
and threw up his arms and fell dead
A surgeon examined the body and his
face was as white as snow as he rose uT
and said:
"My God, but this man was shot
through the heart an hour ago, anc
you nave seen the dead walk"
Night on a Battle Field.
You did not know when you were
hit. The command was advancing, anG
you were cheering with the rest wher
something like black veil luttered
before your eyes and you felt that yot
were falling from great height. Youl
senses came back very slowly. There
was turning of wheels-a confusion
IN the ears-a striving to grasp some
thing passing swiftly by. By and by
without realizing that you had opened
your eyes, you saw stars in the heaven!
above. You wondered and speculatet
about them. Little by little you begar
to remember, and il seemed an hou
before memory cleared and you realized
that you had been in battle. Thel
came the throbbing of the wound K
stir you up. You recalled that 20,
had waited in battle-line-that yos
had been ordered to advance-.La
blankne<s had suddenly come. Thel
i you began laughing, like one in tn