The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-09-22

TASHINGT0N, D: c., THURs1
groan, as if the goldemcord of life had been
suddenly snapped IN she whole editice had
dropued into curceSS ruin.
The shattered line TUNED and fled back to
the covert of the underbrush. The wounded
limped painfuElyafter Niroups of brave men.
who fingered behind ia bear off their killed
or disabled companions, dotted the open
ground in the deadenng.
Three of the waving flags fell upon the
ground, aud their colors disappeared in the
waters of the dark sssols that broke the
grounds surface.
one which had falldsh in front of Co. A.
Come back J" shouted Capt. Moore; I" the
rebels will be here in n moment!'
The men were loading their guns swiftly
and watching the underbrush. The retreat
ing flags futtered above it, faltered, and
moved about in q way that showed the line
was being reformed. Sounds floated over as
of officers commanding, imploring and ex-
hortng. The flags became stationary. The
line was reformed. Again the broad -brimmed
hat, carried upon the point of a sword. was
seen over the tops of the trees as the rebel
General moved along the line encouraging his
men.
| Orders were given the First regiment, and
passed down the line of the division, that
when the command to fire came. only the
first rank should fire, and then sink down on
its knees and reload, while the second rank
fired. The object was to keep no continuous
fire after they came into easy range until
! they got back out of it.
Again the rebels emerged from their bushy
Hplxy raIr
the deadening. They were allowed to come
still nearer than before. and the first rank
delivered its fearful blast almost in their
faces, and as they turned the second rank
poured its volley into their backs. The front
rank having reloaded, srrang to its feet and
sent another yolley to emphsize the rebels
retreat.
The ground was now dottef with the dead
and dying; the gaunt grim, sKeleton-like
trees of the deadening, with decaying
limbs, rOtting bark, and blasted trunks
monarchs of the forest whose life had been
wrested from them in the midst of its vigor
by mans fatal Ak, seemed harmonious com
panions to men who had been similarly
stricken down by their felIow-creatures
The rebel line, as indicated by the flag,
was not formed as energetically as before
The f1agstaffs seemed to have lost their az
gressive uprightness as they trailed weakly
backwards The artillery, which had been |
silent during the charges. moved back out |
of the plum thicket. and n quarter of an |
hour was spent in anxious expectancy of the |
next move of the rebels
The roar of battle on Sherman's and Prem
tiss's front was still incessant, and it came
nearer and nearer, sho wing that our men
were being driven.
md 10 ha y,lay - nln1c Il
veloped. The guns withdrawn from the
plum thicket hal been scattered at advan-
tageous points along their line, and all at
once they opened with n hurricane OF can
lister and grape that tore through the peach
trees and the brush, hit against the logs of
the cabin, and swept the Union lines with
the Bosom of destruction,
At every discharge sIeat holes opened in
the ranks, and men sank down under terri
bic mutilations. Among the first tn fall was
Hamilton A grapeshot tore
through his heart, and he fell upon his back
between two peach trees. The shots still
hurtled through the trees, and they shed
their delicate peach blossoms like fall of
snow. They fell upons his pale face and
shrouded it with vail softer and purer
than any that ever hid the blushing features
of a royal bride.
Then the rebel line reappeared from the
woods-no longer a regular of-hattle, but
like a great letter 8 -" The repulses it had /
suffered had cured it of desire to attempt :
to move the Union line by cold steel, for it
opened hot fire as it advanced slowly |
This was more deadly than grape and can
lister.
Karl was struck in the head and fell life |
less 10 the ground. One OF Stocks fingers !
was torn off, and Bronson went down with a
bullet in his leg O'Neil ran to his assist |
ance, and freed Peory and his crowd from his ,
espionage. The next instant they were fly |
ing back towards the landing as fast as SIX
pairs of legs coud carry them
O'Nei and Walter lifted Bronson up. but |
he pulled from his pocket the tourniquet
ONeil had given him long a,o, and twisted |
it around his leg, begging them to go into
line and help drive the rebels back But |
this could not be- done. The terrible fire |
could not be withstood, and the line was fall |
ing back slowly, the boys loading as they |
walked, and turning about to fire.
Waiter hastily pulled Karl's body back |
into the shelter of peach tree, and then ran |
back TO assist O'Neil with Bronson
Back the line went. down the gentle slope.
across the marshy hollow, and up the slope
on the opposite side. The rebels ceased to
press the retreat closely, and hurled them
selves with appalling fury upon w. III. l..
Wallace's line on the right and. after ter
rible contest, similar to that with Hurbuts
command, succeeded in slowly beating it
back.
TO be cOnttnned)
FDITOpTAT NoTc -Nor. ,h,,+ ~. C,,a,. |