Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1898-06-10
SHIL0H'S FIIJDBTULCH'P |
By d. RYAN, Judge of Sixth Judicial District of Iowa.

BY ID. RYAN, Judge Of SiXt
ALL DAY long The battle had
II ragged, Night spread her
broad wings over the field.
Darkness ended the days battle,
The two armies, about equal in
numbers, had covered the field
"thick with other clay" No field
in modern history can tell such a
tale Of carnage. No battle Of the
War of the Rebellion bought vic
tory at such a fearful cost.
1t was Easter day, A. d. 1862.
The army of the Tennessee, on the
western shore Of the river, had
pitched their tents. The rains
and clouds Of yesterday had dis
appeared. Heavens blue dome,
pure and bright bent above them;
the sun shone out in splendOr
Above the heads Of that great
army, birds sang their sweetest
music amid the branches Of the
teeming forest. Trees were put
ting on springs vestments Of
green. BUGS and blossoms every
where bursting into new Iife-tit
emblams of the resurrection morn
-ladened the air with delicate,
sweet perfumes.
But, hush! Hark! a deep
sound strikes, like a rising knell!
Wen out, aud at the front, tits
heard repeated again, Who could
guess that a great battle has be-
gum No; tits but artillery prac'
tice. Hank! "The heavy sound
breaks in once more" This time
amid their indontations, is heard
the rattle Of musketry. Nearer
and nearer upon the air is borne
the "long rollo Of the rafting
drums and the bugle call "lC
Armsm And there was hurryinG
to and fro. The sound of mp
preaching conflict told but toe
plainly that the surging tide of the
first fierce onset was sweeping be
fore it the Union arms. Stub
bornly they hold their ground
Fiercely fighting, contesting every
foot Of ground, falling back, now
under arms, the whole army t(
the rescue, fastened to the front
: Then swiftly forming in the rank
of war, the tide of battle was ar
: rested. Here, front to front
every available man Of the TIVE
armies, grappled in the struggle
All day through the battle ragged
, surging backward and forward
f now losing ground, now regaining
, struggling, writing and bleeding
hilt to hiIt, like two giants con
tending in deadly combat.
] From the "lnorn.ng gun" till tn
! "evening gum how changed
Heavens blue dome is shut on
I by the smoke Of battle, hangin!
e black and low like a pail. Tn
, sun, no longer pure and bright
/ has, like the field it shone upon
? taken on a redden hue, wrappe
in its sable aud battle.smoke
mantle. 1t sinks out of sight, a
n if refusing longer to witness tn
a work Of human slaughter.
I The songs Of the BIRDS hay
Il given place to the whistle Of bu
e lets and screech Of shells. Bud
g and blossoms have taken on
n deeper dye. The sturdy oaks al
torn and shattered as when Il to-
- nado in its course leaves the TO-
- est rent and strewn. Night SCI
. arated the combatants. Til
! armies, exhausted and blecdin,
! withdrew to biyouac on "goI
y be0s' till the morrow's sun woul
:, light them again to battle.
Between the lines, mingled OIL
with another, lay thousands
If killed or wounded; here one
e blue, there one in gray. NigI
II drew on. Oh! what a long, dreal
o night Oh, what a night Of ho
Ie rors!
d From the gaping, bleedin
ii wounds Of thousands the II
d staunched life blood was ebbil
j, in blacklist darkness, with MOI
o near but those disabled or cold
% death. The wounded lay all nigI
l. on that horrid field. The noise
f. battle had given place to the co
fused sounds Of biyouacing armi,
, seeking position for q nights I
y pose, doubtless Of the morrow
" line Of battle. The night was spej
", ere the armies slept. flushed W,
- the roar OF battle, and in its stea
" cries Of the wounded were hear
W broken only by the loud roar fro
y, " the gunboata, whose shriekir
~ ~ shells at short hat regular int
~ II walls all night long, were hurlC
- - upon that field. The aim of Il
u, guns was directed, as well {
u, ~ might be, at the lines of the hi
", ouacing enemy; but, with seer
- - mgly fatcful certainty, they Il
~ among the helpless wounded {
= that field.
+, But, bark! What is that nc
"a sound that breaks in on the ca
Is it the sound of awakening GU
do No ~.