The National tribune., 1900-07-12
a

marches than we, we trusted them blind
ly to lead US to Richmond, even should
we have to cross the Atlantic to get there.
What a funny world this would be were
the bright beacon, Faith, eliminated from
its mySteriesi
After this wandering around in an aim
less yet eXpectant manner for three or
four hours, we ascended, about noon, a
little knoll upon which stood q substan-
tial dwelling, which somehow reminded us
that it was dinner time and that our
stomachs were empty, though dire pre-
sentiments of dinnerless day possessed
our souls, and in this, at least, we were
not disappointed.
A battery was in position on this knoll,
which seemed to fire minute shots in the
direction of Richmond, since there was
neither sight nor sound of an enemy; yet
there were mysterious hints that great
battle was in progress. Presently, like
a peal of thunder from a clear sky, a
piece of iron, with its peculiar and highly
disagreeable falsetto notes, came sailing
over us-we did not even catch the report
of the gun from which it was fired.
What made me look about so frantically
for a hole in the ground? Surely, if j,
enjoying all the rights and privileges of
non-combatant, must run the risk of COM
ing in personal contact with such bar
barous vehicle of savage warfare, /
might as well resume my original char
acter as an armed warrior, with it's allur-
ing vista of promotions and brevets, which
to the hapless combatant- non -cOmbatant
must ever prove mere ignis fatuus.
However, five minutes, ten, passed
without the advent of more such me-
teor:tes, and my nervous system resumed
the even tenor of its way.
$50 this is a great battle1 l chuckled
to myself. We'll, if so, l am ready TO
fight one every day as pre-prandial ap-
petizer."
Alas! Just then shell burst in the air
over us, followed soon by another, then
another. Now a party of four comes to-
ward us, bearing on litter q man whose
thigh has been penetrated by a fragment
of shell.
What will my stomach do, that has
always proven so refractory in the pres
ence of human bloodY' l ask myself in
fear and despair. Thank the stars! My
stomach Is too engrossed with it's own
safety to sympathize officiously with the
blood Of fellow-man, and 1 am able to
assist at the application of temporary
dressing. Hardly is this done when 1
hear the command, Fall in," given in a
sharp, decisive tone that presagcs no good,
and in moment the regiment is quick
stepping it past the battery, which is now
firing briskly, and heading for narrow
valley which, God help me, now shows q
long line of rebel infantry advancing to
the attack, while the rising ground be-
hind glistens with objects that my fast
beating heart tells me are hostile cannon:
and toward these We are still marching.
THE SONG OF THE BULLET.
/ look at DR.. Sternberg with n glance
he we'll understands, and which saws:
Remember that we are non-combatants.
ana that our duty is to the man we left
behind" The Doctor is pale, but reso-
lnte, and answers my glance with one
that says, Follow mer' accompanied
with an attempt at smile. So, though
still dissenting from my superior as to the
propriety of going farther in that direc-
ton, conclude to make a virtue of neces-
slty, keep cool and trust to luck, as every
good soldier does
We are on much higher ground than the
advancing line of rebel infantry, and still
four or five hundred yards from that line,
when l become conscious of something
| sounding like "z-zip'' constantly passing
my ear, and it is fully ten minutes before
| | learn that not insects peculiar to that 10.
| cality, as at first thought, but bullets. are
when at last my eyes were opened to the
true character of the sound, my pulse did
h9t peat one lota more quickly. Not 80
yhen occasionally shell came our way;
then force of habit, established by the
hustling railroad iron, again and again
overcame me, and the momentary frantic
search for hole in the ground was NOT
to be resisted
When within a couple hundred yards
OF the enemy, the regiment formed in line
Of battle, and the other regiments of the
brigade formed on its left and began firing,
DIR. Sternberg and /, with our hospital
force, consisting Of four hospital attend
ants, the regimental band, and all the
drummers and ffers, took position 100
yards behind the fighting line and planted
our red flag, both to direct the wounded
and to inform the hostile artillery of our
character and mission. One of the hospi-
tai attendants carried the field case of
surgical instruments, another the hospital
knapsack. containing anaesthetics, styp-