Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1898-06-18

80 - S#NA
sutfocating, sparks and brands were
flying and whirIing and the shrieks and
cries Of the wounded made it a hell
spot. i was easy here to separate the
wounded from the dead. The peril OF
fire had brought them out Of the be-
numbed condition which follows the
shock Of a bullet and sometimes lasts
for two or three hours, and they were
creeping about and cursing or wailing.
1t was a horror within a horror.
There was but one way 10 rescue them.
rs soon as reached, each was picked M
by two men in the handiest way posi-
bic and carried u Of the woods. The
rough treatment tortured them iii.
they cried out Ike madmen and cursed
their rescuers. Where a wounded mar
had fallen among the leaves and brush
the flames were licking at him; where
he lay in the open be was shrieking
a terrified child. The thousand
men had been sent in too late TO save
all. They met a wall Of fire which they
could not pass. They dashed at il, only
to be scorched and singed and blistered
and driven back. Beyond that wall they
could hear the cries Of the wounded,
but there was no getting at them.
Darkness had come on without air
enough stirring TO fare a candle, and
outside Of the fores, the stiffness con-
tinued, Under the treetops, however.
as soon as the flames got fairly started
there were gusts Of wind which picked
up the blazing leaves and limbs and
carried them into the treetops or far
away, At L pot, where the bushes
had caught and held a great bed Of
leaves, lay five or six federals as they
had been shot down. Three at least
were only wounded, for we heard them
crying for help, and as the flames
!eaped up and the smoke whirled away
for an instant, we saw them waving
their caps and struggling 10 get up.
We shouted TO encourage them, and
were hurrying towards them. almost on
hands and knees, 10 keep below the
suffocating smoke, when a grea, bal,
OF fire sailed down in front of us and
fell upon them. In 40 instant the bed
Of leaves and bushes was ablaze and
they were cut off.
l saw but one wounded man come
out Of that hell unassisted. We had
done our best and been forced back 10
the open field by the flames. when a
soldier came hobbling out. His cloth.
ing was on fire In a dozen places, his
hair singed and his face and hands
blistered. When he was clear of the
flames by a hundred feet be stopped
and threw up his arms and fell dead
A surgeon examined the body and his
face was as white as snow as he rose IN
and said;
NY God, but this man was shot
through the heart an hour ago, and
you have seen the dead walk"
Night on a battle Field,
You did not know when you were
hi. The command was advancing. and
Sou were cheering with the rest when
something like a black veil anttered
before your eyes and sou felt that Won
were falling from a great height. Your
senses came back very slowly. There
was a turning Of wbeels-a confusion
in the ears-a striving to grasp some.
thing passing swiftly by. By and by.
without realizing that you had opened
your eyes, you saw stars in the heavens
above. You wondered and speculated
about them. Little by little you began
10 remember, and II seemed an hour
before memory cleared and you realized
you had been in a battle. Then
the throboing Of the wound 10
stir you up. You recalled that you
had waited ia battle-line-that you
had been ordered to adyance-that
had suddenly come. Then
you began laughing, Ike one In the
aeniitis chair, or crying like a child
who has lost a toy.
SAY, Old man, what you making all
mat iuts for2 Don't get II into your
heso mat you are he only man hi, by
a Jobnny's bullet today"
Il i q wounded man sitting up on
sogr left. He belongs 10 your own
eonpsay snd got a bulle, In the leg
a. tie zane time you 90, one in the
The ,hock did not last him
20 rlg and he opened his eyes to
tcrse ara gro"l and BIT up and rudely
ha1c@gs bis wound. A soldier getting
z Dg.e; 10 the shoulder ought to be
abe 10 struggle up and siagger 10 the
rear. Il YES seldom the case, however.
The shock Denumbed and weakened
him and took away his courage. IT was
four O'Clock when you were ,umbIed
over; 1t "A evening now. You awake
just IN time 10 hear the sullen mutter.
ings Of the last guns. II Ia a drawn
hgnt' ana you are lying on the neutral
ground between the lines. By and by
the last gun IL fired, and such stiffness,
reignS That you almost cry Quit In alarm.
ms lasts for perhaps ten minutes.
and IS then broken by a sudden wall,
The benumbed wounded are recovering.
They md tina, night has fallen-their
wounds begin TO a%che-they cry out like
and children.
From dusk to midnight there is
grooming and wailing. Then a fear
comes upon the wounded men and tbev
are silent. 1t is not fear of dea,b-not
OF the dead beside them-but NJ
the night itself-of the ghouls who NAV
skulking about in the darkness.
to plumber. This feeling of fear even
extends to the wounded horses. A
wounded horse always lies down M
soon as he Is struck. When he 6pds
himself growing weaker his aim is 10
get upon his feet again. II he can do
" - VIII s1aad With biz !egs bssesd