The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1898-07-21

that fuss for? Don't get it into your
head tina: you are the only man hit by
a Johnny's bullet to-day"
1t is wounded man sitting up on
your left. He belongs to your own
company, and got a bullet in the .eg
at the same time you got one in the
shoulder. The shock did not last him
SO long, and he opened his eyes to
curse and growl and sit up and rutely
bandage his wound. A soldier getting
bullet in the shoulder ought to be
able to struggle up and stagger to the
rear. 1t was seldom the case, however.
The shock benunbed and weakened
him and took away his courage. 1t was
four o'clock when you were tumbled
over; it is evening now. You awake
just in time to hear the sullen mutter-
ings of the last guns. II is drawn
fight, and you are lying on the neutral
ground between the lines. BY and oy
the last gun is fired, and such stiffness
reigns that you almost cry out in alarm.
This lasts for perhaps ten minutes,
and is then broken by sudden wall.
The benumbed wounded are recovering
They find that night has fa!len-their
wounds begin to ache-they cry out like
women and children.
From dusk to elidnight there is
grooming and wailing. Then a fear
comes upon the wounded men and they
are silent. 1t is MOI fear of dea:h-not
fear of the dead beside them-but of
the night i,self-of the ghouls who may
come skulkins about in the darkness
to pluuder. This feeling of fear even
extends to the wounded horses. \
wounded horse always lies down as
soon as he is struck. When he finds
himself growing weaker his aim is to
get upon his feet again. If he can do
so he viii! stand with his legs braced
aud peer into the darkness and neigh
and whinny his hopes and fears. If he
cannot rise he will lay his head on the
ground and 81 gin and sob, and the noise
will add to the frigh. of the wounded
men within hearing. BY midnight the
field is quiet. \ plunderer roaming
about will imagine that all the fallen
are dead. He will not know to the con
II y
| an hour or two the wounded will remain
| voiceless and without movement. Then
| the darkness and the silence around
him makes him believe that death is a:
hand. He does not want to die among
the dead. A feeling comes to him that
he mus: crawl away and die by himself,
and after a little he acts upon it.
| ;oI lc l>of+ 10 \
covered with trails. The wounded have
dragged themselves yards or rods away
from the spot where they fell. They
have drawn themselves over the earth
inch by inch, to hide beside logs-in
thickets or fence corners-in swamp o:
| forest. Those who have crawled
farthest are dead when morning comes
and on their faces is look of terro:
and despair. They are creeping ava
from death and darkness, but were
overtaken. And the men with tho
stSetchers find those who still live Eilen
and wild-eyed and speaking only ir
whispers. They have had their blood
chilled by the blackness of night and
the footsteps of death, and it will b.
days before they will find their voice,
or smile again.
| Horses in Battle.
4 veteran cavalry horse partakes o1
the hopes and fears of battle just the
same as his rider. As the coIum-
swings into line and waits, the hors.
grows nervous over the waiting. Il
the wait is spun out he will trembl'
and sweat and grow apprehensi,e. |
he has been six months in service h
knows every bugle call. AS the cal
comes to advance the rider can fee
him working at the bit with his tongue
moves out he will either seek to get OIL
faster than he should, or bolt. He can
not bolt, however. The lines will carr
him forward, and after minute h
will grip the bit, lay back his ears, an:
one can feel his sudden resolve to brav'
the worst and have done with it a
soon as possible. When the trooper
begin to cheer and the sabers to fiasl
the horse responds. An exultation fill
his heart, he will often scream out, an
his eyes blaze and are fixed steadily il
front. No matter how obstinate b
was at the start. he will not fail a
the lines cover the last so feet o
space. If volley comes and he is un
hurt he will lower his head and toss i
right and left, and then take suddel
breath for the crash. If charging in
fantry he will thunder straight at
man and knock him down; if agains
line of horsemen he will lift his hea
and front feet as if going over fence
4 man seldom cries out when hit i
the turmoil of battle. 1t is the sam
with a horse Five troopers out OF sis
when struck by bullet, are out Of thei
saddles within a minute. If hit in h
breast or shoulder up so their hand
and they get heavy fall; it in tn
leg or foot or arm :hey fall forwar
and rel, off. Even with foot cut o1
by : jagged piece Of shell horse VI: