Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1900-09-28
TBOROUGHTARE GAP
e ID QUAD


.--s-.-st-.-F-F4-i-s.-:-:-
Lee was moving to invade Maryland
and Pennsylvania. The mountains hid
his marching columns from sight Of the
Federals, and at every gap in the Blue
Ridge lac left a force with Instructions
to hold out to the last and give him
q the time possible TO reach aud cross
the Potomac. 1t was the aim OF the
Federals to break through at some
point and penetrate his movement, and
there was fighting on every mountain
trail and at the mouth Of every noun
tain gap The major general had said
to the brigadier ordered to proceed to
Thoroughfare gap:
II do not know how many Conf"der-
ates are holding that gap, but be the
humber 800 or 10000 you must break
through. That is the ~order-brcak
through. If only n man Of your com
mand is left alive, he will bring W the
news we want"
And the major general on the Con
federate side had said to the |brigadier:
"You will detach one regiment OF
your command to hold T-horoughfare
gap. 1t must be held against the Fed
erals for three days. We can spare
only n single regiment. If there is bat
one man left alive at the end Of that
time, he will follow on and oycrtake
u.s."
A narrow wagon road, twisting aud
turning between walls from 90 to 100
feet high, with alternate spots Of SUI
shine and gloom-that was Thorough
fare gap. AS the skeleton regiment OF
600 Confederates entered II and pressed
forward to its western mouth, Its rug
gedness and gloomy solemnity brought
q feeling of awe. 1t reminded them Of
a tomb, and they shuddered TO think OF
dying In the sem%ldarkness. Two field
pieces rolled along with the regiment
Of infantry, and the jar OF the heavy
wheels loosened q stone now and then
to come gathering down from far
above. When n blue brigade came
Gathering up. it was TO find he GOO
In possession and the position Il
which the dullest private must see. was
well nigh impregnable. Every hour
was worth a thousand lives to the Fed
eral army. and the Federal brigadier
lost no time in beginning the attack.
In the open he would have goGbled up
that skeleton regiment at n dash. Be.
hind a rocky wall hastily thrown up,
with no way to get at the enemy eX-
cept In front, his surplus Of men did
not count. At the sound of the bugles
they dashed forward with cheers, but
not a man got within five rods of the
wall. Grape and canister and bullets
tore the lines to pieces. 1t was tried
again and again. The orders were to
break through the gap. A thousand
dead and wounded would be a cheap
price for the information to be had at
the other end. Artillery was brought
forward to batter down the wall, but
1t could not be placed to advantage.
The pieces had only been fred once
when their crews lay dead or wounded
and the carriages were shattered. The
Federal brigadler rode back and forth
and stormed and swore and almost
wept.
whether 500 or 10000, you must
break through" were the orders, and
If he failed to carry them out his ca
reer as a soldier was at an end. An
army OF 100000 men was waiting to
checkmate Lee. A whole nation was
waiting to hear the splash Of Confed-
crate feet In the waters of the Potomac.
The men in blue could hardly form
company in the mouth Of that defle.
A charge against the wall meant death
to every other man, but they formed W
and charged and cheered and-died
After half a day of bloody fighting the
Federal brlgadler rested. He was still
bleeding from q wound when he open
ed a dispatch and read:
you have IN Of the best brigades II
the corps, and II is certain you are op
posed by only a handful of Confeder
ates. BY o o'clock in the morning yoJ
must have authentic news of Lee"
The brigadier had sacrificed COO mel
that day. and he could not believe TIL
Confederate loss to be over 30. Their,
was but one way to reach them on tn
morrow over that stone wall. II,
would drive them or die with the las
man. There was no jollity In the Fed
eral camp that night. Men will sin
or joke as they swing into battle line |
The open hut these men peered int
80 s", Of the gap and though
q In front Of the stone wa
20 zach other In whispers
u brave sight to see them swim
u, % as the sun gllded the tree top.
Every face had It's pallor, and ever
e i-okpd into the midst Of death, br
was 10 tagging or faltering. Yo
Jaw them tightening their belts an
setting their jaws as they waited, an
you held your breath for the signI
which was TO send them to death.
On the other side OF the stone wa
there was no exultatlon. The dea
and the wounded were comparative
few. but every hour would add to II
number. and only one day Of the thr'
had passed. The colonel knew WIFI
was coming and prepared for II. VIII
the blue lines, ten deep, came dashir
forward. they met with such a hail
iron and lead that the 6rst three
four were blotted OF the face Of Il
earth. Then. under the smoke clou
some OF them wounded and all despe
ate. the other lines erept forward, ar
.hs val was reached. II. was q har