Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-10-23

the serlior col0s,el down % the tighten
ed teamsters. knew that II we could
hold 3u 0wa until achievements
came up, we should be in luck. A &c
treat would not have lost prestige IN
der the circumstance. 1t was with a
feeling beyond surprise, therefore,
when we found ourselves massed for
an attack.
well fight, of course" I heard our
captain saying to our first lieutenant,
"but we'll get licked out OF our boots
inside OF an hour. If We had double
our strength we couldn't carry their
position. It's going to be. slaughter
for sure.
And the second sergeant of our COM
pany turned to the first corporal and
growled:
"say, now, but have you got family
back homer"
! eyes, and what of it?"
"Then you say goodbye to wife and
children and ask the Lord to forgive
| your SINS
Cant we lick 'em?"
.Bosh! Well be piled up in front OF
EN- like cord wood"
The brigadier had plan, and it was
soon developed. The Third regiment
was on the left flank, just opposite the
enemys strongest position. The cen
ter of the Federal force was moved
forward and then ordered back. The
right flank was advanced, kept under
long range fire for few minutes, and
| then withdrawn. Then an aide came
galloping up to Colonel Bell and
saluted and said
Compliments Of General Blank, and
you will move forward and turn the
enemy's right Let your men go in
with the bayonet."
"The Third to move forward alone!
whispered Colonel Bell in astonish-
ment.
"Alone and at once
"But it cannot-cannot-"
"Alone and at once!"
Not five men in our regiment heard
the words, but all understood them.
The hour of revenge had come to the
brigadier. He hadn't driven Colonel
Bell to resign, but he would strike him
here, and the blow should hit the whole
regiment as we'll. There were groans
and ieers from the men, and the OIL
GERS shook hands and said.
Goodbye to you. This is a wipe
out of the old Third"
"Attention," shouted our colonel from
the head of the line. Forward-guide
center-march."
I never saw so many pale faces
among the officers, but l think it was
due more to indignation than fear. The
sergeants growled, the corporals ours
ed, and here and there private broke
into laugh or song in a reckless way
We moved over the old meadow a
common time, increased it to quick a;
the first bullets began to sing, and theI
.--o S4Ass, ss4Ie. us.ouUu fOI aiu VIII
a whoop. The angels of Heaven mus
have saddened over the slaughter
We had no earthly show Grape ant
canister and bullet rained into us from
behind the entertainments until the
men in gray stayed their hands out ot
pity and let beggarly third of the reg
iment limp back out of the hell. An
hour later we knew how we had SUI.
fered.
: "The colonel, the major, five cap
tains, seven lieutenants and 800 men
left back there!" was the report.
| And for what? AS the fragment OF
us huddled together and wondered how
God had spared us to get back alive
the brigadier rode along our line at a
, gallop. He had no hand-wave for us
no word in praise. His eyes looked
straight in front of him, glistening
with exultation of revenge, and there
was cruel, crafty smile playing over
his mouth at intervals. He had been
called a cheat and a swindler. The
man who used The words lay dead on
the edge of the woods, and around him
were the dead of his regiment-hun-
dreds of dead.
"You murderer" shouted a hundred
men at the brigadier as he rode.
"You cursed fend," shouted anothe-
hundred.
why don't some one shoot him III
the back?" sobbed the captain who had
lost half his company.
But the brigadier smiled and ro0e
on. In his official report he would say:
"The Third regiment was sent III on
the left flank, but not being properly
led or held up to their work, accom-
plished nothing and suffe ed a heavy
loss. l am sorry to say that among
the killed was the gallant Colonel Bell.
who has heretofore displayed the great
est Judgment and gallantry."
| Copyright 1898. by the international
Literary and News Service)