St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1898-10-12
The Battle Of Shiloh.
Concluding Part Of Ambrose Bierce's ihriiing
Story.

fresh troops and their successful passage
Of the river had disheartened him. three
or four Of his gray cavalry vedettes NOV
mo amongst the trees on the crest OF
hill in our front, and galloping out OF
sight at the crack ofour skirmishers rihes,
confirmed us in the belief that an army
face to face with its enemy does not en-
ploy cavalry to watch its 'front.' True,
they might be a general and his staff.
Growing this rise, we found level
field. a quarter oil mile in width; De-
vond il a gentle ACTIVITY, covered with
an undererowth of young oaks, imper-
yious to sight. We pushed on into the
omen. but the divis on halted at the edge.
Having orders to conform to its move
ments we halted too but that did not
suit; we received an intlmation to pro-
coed. had performed this sort oil ser
vice before, and in the exercise OF my dis
erection deployed my platoon, pushing II
forward at run, with trailed arms, to
Strengthen the skirmish line, which
overlook some thirty or forty yards
from the wood. Them cant describe
1.-THE forest seemed all at once to hame
I'D and disappear with crash like that
OF a great wave upon the beach-a crash
that expired in hot hissings, and the
sickening "spat" of lead against fl sh
A dozen of my brave fellows tumbled
over like ten-pins. Some struggled TO
their feet, only to go down again, and
vet again. Those who stood fired into
the smoking brush and doggedly retired.
We had expected to find, at most, line
of skrmishers similar to our own; 1t
was with a view to overcoming them by
a sudden coup at the moment OF collision
that had thrown forward my little re-
serve. What we had found was line of
battle, coolly holding its fire till it could
count ou. teeth. There was no more to
be done but get back across the open
ground, every superficial yard OF which
was throwing up its little jet OF mud
provoked by an impinging bullet. We
got back, most of us. and | shall never
forget the ludicrous incident OF young
officer who had taken part in the affair
walking up to his colonel, who had been
a calm and impartial spectator, and
gravely reporting: THE enemy is in torce
lust beyond this field, sir"
TX.
In subordinaton to the design OF this
narrative as defined by it's title. the in
cidents related necessarily group them
selves about my own personality as
center; and, as this centre, during the
few terrible hours of the engagement,
maintained variably constant relation
to the open field already mentioned, it is
important that the reader should bear
- 4 l,a ,,,ht al
features of the situation. The hlther
side OF the field was occupied by the front
of my brigade length oftwo regiments
in line, with proper intervals tor field
batteries. During the entire fight the
enemy held the wooded slight activity
beyond. The debatable ground to the
right and left of the open was broken
and thickly wooded for miles, in some
places quite inaccessible to artillery, and
at very few points Offering opportunities
for its successful employment. AS con.
sequence of this the two sides OF the field
were soon studded thickly with confront
ing guns, which famed away at one an
other with amazing zeal and rather
startling effect. OF course, an infantr,
attack delivered from either side was no
to be thought OF when the covered fl INK
offered 'inducements" so unquestio
superior; and believe the riddled bodie
of my poor skirmishers were the onl,
ones left on this neutral ground" tina
day. But there was very pretty line
dead continually growing in our rear
and suppose the enemy had at his bac
similar encouragement.
The CONFORMATION of the ground Offer
ed us no protection. By lying Hat o.
our face between the guns we wer
screened from view by a struggling roS
OF brambles, which marked the course {
an obsolete fence but the enemy's CRAP
was sharper than his eyes, and it wa
poor consolation to know that his gur
ners could not see what they were doin
so long as they did it. The shock OF OF
own pieces nearly deaIened US, but in tt
brief intervals we could hear the bait
roaring and stammering in the dar
reaches of forest to the right and LET
where our other divisions were dashiu
themselves again and again into Il
smoking jungle. What would we nj
have given to join them in their brav
hopeless task But to lie inglorious b
meath showers OF shrapnel darling
vergent from the unassailable skv-mee
ly to be blown out OF life by level gus
OF grape-to clench our teeth and shrii
helpless before big shot pushing noisi
through the consenting air-this W
horrible Lie down, there!' capita
would shout-and then get up himself
see that his order was obeyed. "Ca
tain, take cover, sir!" the lieutenai
colonel would shrek, pacing up al
down in the most exposed position
could find.
O, those cursed gunsl-not the enemy
but our own. Had it not been for the
we might have died like men. TIL
must be supported, forsooth-the feel
Boosting bullies 1t was impossible
realize the fact that these pieces were I
ing the enemy as excellent a mischief
his were doing us; they seemed to ra
their CLOUD by day" solely to dir
Alright the streaming procession of c,
federate missiles. They no longer insI
ed confidence. but begot apprehensit
and it was with grim satisfaction tha
saw the carriage OF one and anot
smashed into matchwoo1 by who
ing shot and bundled out of the line.
The dense forests wholly or partly
which were fought so many battles
the Civil War, lay upon the earth in e
autumn thick deposit Of dead lea
and twigs, the decay OF which form
soil of surprising depth and richness.
dry weather the upper stratum is as
hammable as finder. fire once kiut
in it will spread with slow, persist