The National tribune., 1898-10-13

earth. We all knew in an instant, as if
by intuition, what called forth such wild
cheers from THAI weary and almost over
powered army.
THE VICTORY WON.
'Kearnyl' was,shOuted enthusiastically
along the Federal lines, while the fresh
troops were hurlad like thunderbolts upon
the foe. One battery after another was
taken from the enemy, and charge after
charge was made upon their works, until
the tide of battle was turned, Fort Ma
gruder silenced, and the Stars and Stripes
were floating I'M triumph over the rebel
works.
The battle waswon, and victory crowned
the Union armsT The rebels were flying
precipitately from the field, and showers
of bullets thick as hail followed the re-
treating fugitiveS. Night closed around
us, and a darkness which almost equaied
that OF Egypt" settled over the battlefield
and the pitiless rain came down in tor
rents, drenching alike the living and the
dead.
There lay upon that crimson field 2,22S
OF our own men, and more than that
number of the enemy. 1t was indescrb-
ably sad to see our weary, exhausted men,
with torches, wading through IN mud 10 their
knees, plotting the ambulances over the
field. lest they should trample upon the
bodies of their fallen comrades.
BURYING THE DEAD.
All night long we toiled in this manner,
and when morning came still there were
hundreds found upon the field. Those of
the enemy were found in heaps, both
dead and wounded piled together in
ravineS, among the felled timber, and IN
rifie-pits, half covered with mud Now the
mournful duty came of Identifying and
burying the dead. Oh, what day was
that in the history of my life, as wei! as of
thousands both North and South. 1t
makes ShrfUGer hI!e l recall If
scenes.
To see those fair young forms
Crushed by the war-hOrse tread,
The dear and bleeding ones
Stretched by the piled-u dead.
Oh, war, cruel war! Thou dost pierce
the soul with untold sorrows, as well as
thy bleeding victims with death. How
many Joyous hopes and bright prospects
hast thou blasted; and how many hearts
and homes hast thou made deSolate. "AS
we think of the great wave OF woe and
| misery surging over the land, we could
cry out in very bitterness Of Soul-Oh
God. how long how longi'
The dead lay in long rows on the field
| their ghastly faces hid from view by hand
kerchiefs or the capes OF their overcoats,
| while the fai .hful soldiars were digging
! trenches in which to bury the mangled
boClaS OF the slain. | passed along the
entire line and uncovered every face, in
| search of one who had gwen me small
package the day before when going into
| battle, telling me that IL he should be
killed to send it home. ard, said he,
Here is a ring on my finer which want
you to send to -. 1t hss never been of
my finger since she plased it thee the
morning started for Washington. II am
killed, please take it off ard send it to her. I"
| | was in search of him, but could find
nothing of the mi ,sing :one. At last |
saw group of men nearly half a mile
distant. who also seemed:to be engaged in
burying the dead. made my way toward
them as fast | could bu. when reached
| them the bodies had all been lowered into
| the trench, and they wete already filling
| it up.
| begged them to llet nae go down and
see if my friend was amtsng the dead; 10
which the kind-hearted boys consented.
His body lay there, partially covered with
earth; | uncovered his !sace: he was so
changed | should not Fave recognized
him, but the ring told me. that it was he.
| tried with all my might to remove the
ring, but could not Ihei fingers were so
swollen that it was imp9ssible ito get it
off. In life lit was a pledge OF faithfulness
from one he loved, "and in death they
were not divided" d .p ,s4
tTodc cDxtinued)