The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-11-17

the march The rain was driven down
in sheets and the wind was bowling
over us in such dreary way that there
was not man there who would not
Irather have heard the roar of heavy
guns, and faced them at that: and we
had to cross swamps where the water
was up to our waists, climb over fallen
tree tops, founder through bogs, and
the devil knows what we didn't have to
IenCounter before the word was passed
back to halt.
1 forgot to say that in addition to our
arms each man had been provided with
a short-handled hammer and a half
dozen spikes 1t is needless to say what
they We're for, only that we were eX-
pected to use them-and we did, as you
will see.
Old Mac divided us into squads Of
six, AID selected one man from each
squad to command it. He left our own
boys where we We're, and led the rest
away through the dark, saying that he
would return and lead us himself, and
that if the heavens fell we were not to
do or say a thing till he came back.
And then there was two hours of the
wors waiting work l ever did. But he
came back after while, and in whis-
pers told us what we had to do.
In the dark and rain and wind we
had succeeded in fianking the battery
on both sides, practically surrounding
it, having posted the squads from the
other companies at intervals on both
arms of the place where we We're wait
ing. For himself and US he had select
ed the worst place of all-what he
called the "folorn hope" and it was
that, we were directly in front Of the
guns we were expected to spike, and
there was more than hundred yards
of clear swamp for them upon us while
we were getting up the hill at them.
The signal for the outer squad to
charge was to be the first gun fired
upon us from the battery, and it was
like going to certain death for us, in
order that the rest of the boys might
win the victory. You see, it was old
Macs idea that if the others held back
until the enemy had their guns trained
on us, and had delivered at least part
of their fire, the other seven squads
would have fine chance to rush in and
do the work while the Johnnies We're
engaged in slaughtering us. Oh, it was
a fine plan
Then came the order to advance
slowly. Our teeth were chattering with
the cold and we were soaked to the
skin, but the order warned us a bit
and we started up the hill.
We knew that we could not advance
much further without being challenged, |
and it was true, for we had not made |
more than ten yards of the hundred we
had to cross before it came. Old Macs |
reply was to fire his pistol straight at |
the point from which the voice came, |
for he wanted to draw the fire. Then |
he jumped forward with a yell.
We spread out so that there was a
dozen or more feet between US and /
started up the hill at trot, firing as |
we ran. Nobody expected to hit any !
thing but the dark, but we did expect !
to draw the enemy's fire, and we sue
ceeded for we hadn't covered ten feet |
NOR before there was roar in front
of us, and the air was filled with bull
let's and shells and grapeshot and l tell
you they sung a mighty weird song
when they flew over our heads. which
most of them did.
Then in the momentary lul that fol-
lowed I heard right in front of me--and
| was close behind the captaif1-I heard
the Major.
Bow wow WOWWoWi"
That was all that he said, but it was
ike an electric shock to us all, from the
aptain down. Lots of stories have been
told about how strains of music from
The band will cheer faltering troops on
20 renewed effort, but nothing ever
happened within my memory which
had so much effect upon the soldiers
rs did the barking OF that dog, hap
oening just when it did. We forgot
hat we were only seven, including the
captain; we might have been 1000 at
hat moment, the way we started anew
Up that hill; and all the while in front
If us intersDersed between the boom
ng of cannon and the rattle of musket
)alls we could hear that "Bow-wow-
vowwow- wowr and it seemed to say, c
Come on, BOYS! I'm leading this
quad! Bow WOW! Give it to EN-. Wow
vow-wow. Spike their guns, boys! I'm
With you, and I'll take you through,
Jome on! Wow wow-wow." {
Nobody remembers much about the
worst fight that he was ever in, and, {
o tell the truth, I don't remember
nush about that one, only that / was |
through the breach right behind the {
aptain with that Bow wow wow" {
inging in eront of me. l didn't know {
whether the other boys were behiond |
IS OF not. and l don't think / cared
ust then.
The other squads obeyed orders to
he letter, and that was why we were {
ictorious The enemy thought that
re numbered a thousand; at least that
'as what the men whom we captured
hat night told us afterward and / T
ever blamed them for it. You see we
truck them from every side at once,
nd they never thought that we would s
tack with only six men in each COM e.
land / think it was the only time r.
nat such a thing was ever done dur II
lg the rebellion. W
But I'm getting ahead of my story u
Fhen | jumped through the breach / y
lrew my carbine, stock first plump at 8
n officer who opposed me. / caught d
i'm under the chin and he went down u
5 though he was shot. l didn't have -