The National tribune., 1901-07-04

"1ACiAAA PShtS Ds Wy
where the enemy had reveled before we
scared 'em away. Before day we were
aroused to select our battieground-may be
burying- ground We took a high hill. per
fectly bare, fanked on both sides by
woodland nights. Nearly the first ray
courier from the new-risen sun brought
us a view of the indomitable enemy, as
they advanced through open fields, far be-
low our nights, their snake-like skir-
mishers creeping along in front and on the
sides This was the most singular sight
l had yet seen. l could hardly persuade
myself they were real enemies. 1t seemed
so strange! Their bayonets and bprnish-
ed guns glistened in the morning sun.
They were men like 'we'uns We didn't
know each other, nor had we ever harmed
each other. Personally, we had nothing
against each other. Why were they
marching up to kill us? How strange!
/ No one can fully appreciate this war un-
til he has seen a battle Then it comes
home to him. l knew those men were
enemies, but | could not feel it. When
our big cannon opened its mouth and
spit iron words, tire-clad, at them, it was
strange still. But when the cannon, ma
nipulated by the blue-clad men, began it's
big talk in reply, and sent n roaring ball
whirling right at us, | understood, with
out doubt, that the other fellows were
enemies. | felt it, too.
| well, those cannon disputed all day,
using iron arguments, clothed in the terri
fc rhetoric of Jupiter Tonans.' / was
stationed at the battery. and at every dis
charge l looked TO see Yankee legs, arms
guns, horses, wagons, cannon and all
floating around among the clouds; but
there were always enough of them left to
shoot back, and-then there was leaving
in hot haste | never lay as fiat in my
life. | wanted to be. a pancake. / tried
TO squeeze myself down into the ground to
avoid the vOracious appetite of those
Pandora shells. 1t seemed as if Heaven,
Earth and Thunderation' had run into
each other and made one grand smash
up leaving nothing but noise. / had the
earache two days after the battle.
would advise nobody but deaf man to
be cannonecr.
about II Il. m. terrific fight began on
our right. A wooded hill was between
us and the combatants, but the noise rolled
over it like surge. never heard the
like before, and hope / may never hear
it again. 1t seemed as if every gnarlcd
tree, limb, shrub and stick in all that vast
forest was being snapped into a thousand
pieces. 1t was one continuous roar; and
above the battle din rose the shout of the
maddened warriors as they fought and
fell advanced and retreatcd. Fear and
HIlAlely were OeDlCleO III pale cOIOfS on
many faces.
"The battle surged up the hill, nearer
and louder, and the shout of the frenzied
cOmbatants grew fiercer as they tasted the
intoxicati0n of blood. At length it ceased
in the prolonged shouts of the victors, fol-
lowed by silence profOund-the silence of
death and the grave. The enemy's as
sault had been repulsed and they left $50
of their dead and wounded on that field
Of dnnth Some aIpnnl, bla oh al
ghastly in the embrace of death, were
holding up their hands in mute appeal,
or grasping convusively the instruments
of destruction, now harmless. Some were
calling piteOusly for water as the red tide
of life sought on unnatural channel in the
thirsty ground, flowing freely to ebb no
more.
Would that the world might see one
battle and fight never again. War is the
agony of the soul, the crucifxion of ma
ture. May it soon cease from earth for
ever, and peace reign universally. | have
told how | felt-the battle | cannot really
describe"
The battle referred to by Capt. Guer-
rant was fought at Princeton, Va, be-
Humphrey Marshall and the Federals
under Maj.-Gen. Jacob d. Cox. My first
battle" will be appreciated by all intelli-
gent, courageous soldiers, whether they
wore the blue or the gray. The brave
soldier is the one that fully realizes the
dangers incident to battle, and yet has
the moral courage to enter the conflict at
the hazard Of his life, going where duty
calls. .
when the battle is DER and the sounds
of fight
Have closed with the closing day
How happy around the watch-fre's light
To chat the long hours away;
To chat the long hours away, my boy,
And talk Of the days to come;
Or, better still, and a purer joy,
To think of our far off home.
How many cheek will then grow pale,
That never felt a tear;
And many q stalwart heart will quail,
That never quailed in fear.
And the breast that, like some mighty
rock,
Amid the f0aming sea,
Bore high against the battles shock;
Now heayes like infancy.
"And those who knew each other not,
Their hands together steal;
Each thinks of some long hallOwed spot
And all like brothers feel;
Such holy thoughts to all are given,
The lowliest has his part;
The love of home, like love of Heaven,
L.
CAPT. TOM BARRETT's PIECE FLAG.
Along about Feb. /, 1865, rumors of an
armistice and peace negotiations reached
CastlewOods, Va. where Capt. Tom Bar
rett was temporarily stationed. When |
ordered to rcjoin his regiment, the 4th Ky. |
Cav, the stalwart Captains company
marched from Castlewoods bearing a flag
'fearfully and wonderfully made" Float |
ing from rustic sapling" staff was
remnant of cotton goods that had seen
better days-in the long ago, and inscribed
thereon was the strange device" Piece"
Barretts Piece flag was hailed with
loud acclaim, especially by the rustic
women and children along his line of
march. In that Piece" flag the young |
women saw calico. crinoline, and all kinds |
OF store-go0ds floating before their excited |
fancy. The old women tasted the flavor |
of sure enough coffee, and dreamed of |
cotton gowns and clay pipes, store tea and |
short sweetnn'." In short, the strange |
new Tor old flag" was an omen of the |
good time comm. The dark clouds of |
civil war were fast rolling by and the |
dawn of brighter day was peeping over |
the SUBMITS of the blue mountains.
Those simple mountain people saw more
Of the real pleasures and happiness of life
in Barretts Piece flag than they had |
ever dreamed of when looking upon either
the Star Spangled Banner or the Star
and Bars and Starry Cross of Dixie.
To be continucd)
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LOYAL VirgiIian.