The National tribune., 1898-07-14
CHAPTER XVIEI-(continued).

CHAPTER XVIII-(continued
The enemy receives more achievements
and makes another determined attack on the
. rear. The army faces about, forms line and
(: onens fire. The battery assists with Its usual
! energy. and soon the rebels are forced back to
/ respectful distance
I The wounded and the artillery are hurried
/ aboard tie transports and the regiments lci-
: low rap:dlv. Bronson, Walter, Karl and
Stock on coming in are fortunate enough to
find Co. A standing in line on the bank, wait
Ing 10 assist in covering the emJarkation II
their assis tance should be needed; bat OF sol
dierliness for which Capt Moore is indebted
to hint from Serg't O'NeiL Capt Moore
says firmly:
go. A opened his fight, and L hope to
have the honor of helping close 1t.
"I'm prstty certain you'll have your
Swisb. = saws Bronson For, rs we fell back
I'VE saw heavy bodies of rebels coming
through tie woods and we thought we saw
artillery with Them
!. As he speaks a shell comes scream NJ out
of the dark woods, tears through the thin
boards Of The boats cabin, and bursts IN the
center Of the river The rebels give tre-
mendous veil and rush forward, firing as they
tcome.
Co. A fires volley; someone behind gives
1.-THE order:
Come aboard. Come aboard quick !
For Gods sake. "
And as Cart Moore repeats the command
they rush On board just as the boat swings
cut from the bank, Tor the cables have been
cut by axes in the hands OF the excited
#steamboatmen.
Bronson shouts to his companions to follow
him On 10 the hurricane deck which they do.
IND l,a IL mil
THE wounded are groaning in the cabin; the
ibuIlets are tearing through tie planking
MANY OF the men are protesting that nothing
but certain slaughter awaits them, and then
beo their officers to land the boat again, that
they may 60 back Oh solid ground, where they
5can have an equal chance against their
assaianis.
When Bronson and the rest ach the hur-
rioaDe Geek they are appalled, at the prospect
The rebels have run two p eces OF artillery
I'D 10 the edge of the bank, TO fire grape and
canister into the crowded boats. The File
opers vigorously on the artilierists and
produces a confusion that arrests the dis
charge of The guns. The rebel infantry,
pressed 10 tie bank. pour IN a rain OF bullets
that crash necessarily on and through the
woodwork of tie Loaf They are responded
10 by a fire of inuskesry and shots from Tay-
lOr's guns.
All at once the gunbcats, which have
moved up. open with their heavy guns and
rake the rebel line with great shots which.
striking one OF tie cannon that the File are
irving TO prevent from firing, crush 1T to
pieces and send the fragments flying high
into the air. The rebels, panic-s,ricken,
rush out of range; the sun goes down, and
The battle of Belmont is ended
The boats labor and puff lugubriously as
they struggle with The clrgent OF the Afissis-
sippi On their way back to Cairo. The
wearied officers sit in silence, leaning their
heads upon the hits of their swords. The
exhausted men lie fast asleep wherever they
have cast themselves down. On the lower
deck the hungry horses are whinDying for
bod In the cabins the Surgeons are at work
among the wounded with knife and bandage,
giving words of cheer to some and speaking
the death warrants Of others.
In one corner Chaplain Narlrett is kneel-
ing beside liy-wounded man, telling
him Of the hopes that Heaven holds out to
those who die III a good cause. The man
begins message he wants delivered to his
family He mentions several MINOR matters
iu a way that shows he is reserying some
thing Of importance for the end, and en-
deavoring 10 concentrate it into the feWest
possible words, that his ebbing life may be
sufficient for its communication. And
tell her, :" he says, with a conyuisive effort
that cannot, however, prevent each word he
coming lower and lower; tell her ''-hi;
voice dies away IN an inaudib!e whisper, hi:
lips still move. but no sound issues from
them, CLEAN OF DESPAIR shines family in hi
glaring eyes, and his head falls back upoi
tle pallet
. lie is gone 20 The bosom Of God, Z" say
Chaplain NarbIett. as he folds the hand
across the soldiers breast and essays to clos
the sightless eyes