The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1901-04-26
[5lR@7T TIME
L UNDER FIRE.
%%.-"%~.'-"@%..-..%%..-"~~-.-.%>.-.>
BY M. v. MOORE.

The memory of the soldiers first battle
will never be forgotten by him. The i'm
pressions were burned so deeply into the
brain and spirit that a century of peace
would not efface or even dim them MANY
years have passed since | went through
the first baptism of fire." and vet the
scenes and events are as fresh and as
vivid in the soul vision as is the storm of
yesterday eve.
| want to tell you something about it.
l shall not name the time nor the place
the living who We're with me will remem-
Der the facts-fOr the record | give is his
toric, IS real, not ideal or fanciful, and |
wish to have the recital so worded that
any man in the world can read it without
feeling of bitterness in any known d-
rcction The picture | give is not for the
man who wore this or that uniform. |
want a cameo that will outlast the pas
sion that produced the bloody struggle.
| do not pretend to give a history of an
entire battle: no one man can do this nm
less he draws upon the experience and OBJ
servation of others. for each actor in any
great battle sees the struggle differently
from what it appears to others. | shall re-
late my own individual experience and
ohsewation-what l personally saw and
heard Of one fiercey fought BATTLE one
memorable in the history of the war-my
first passing into and through its flame of
fire.
a soldiers first battle in war does not
always come at the appointed looked for
hour Many of the volunteers went to
the front expecting to whip out the fight
4t.g,v r.
fore or after breakfast-then to return
home crowned with immortal honors.
But with thousands many weary months
elapsed before the opportunity of meeting
the foe came in real earnest, and when it
did come countless thousands were not
expecting it. After my enlistment as
soldier | had not long to wait the coming
of the fight.
Night had enveloped the camp. and
was dreaming of sunny fields, of smiling
meadows, of happy home. of mother
and all that was near and dear to a hui
man heart. But the destroying angel
came. and all vanished into the realm of
sweetcned shadow.
For comrade stood beside me with his
hand on my bosom. As he leaned over
toward my ear l heard him say tremu-
IouSly, the mans heart in a futter of
emotion:
Wake up! They are advancingw
There was the hue on his lips that made
me think instantaneousy of the line:
Whispering with white lips: ''The foe! They
come! They come'
The first beams of the full morning
tl,o Il
rays fell upon group of half a dozen
anxious faces gathered around the adiu-
tant's tent. Two horses were thcre-one
with dropping head and limbs at rest: an
other was painting heavily and reekng
with smoke as courier still sat on him.
Inc commanding officer was reading
note hastily scratched in pencil, under
starlight alone.
Inc officer was en- deshabille. Yet l
heard him speak hurriedly and anxiously
10 the bugler Just called up:
Sound reveille at once and boots and
saddles Immediately afterward." Turn
ing around. he added, addressing his serv-
ant saddle my horse at once William"
strange it is what a magnetic influence.
as It were, that will pervade a mass of
men IN the hour of danger and duty.
1hree minutes had not elapsed after the
sounds of the last bugle blow had thrilled |
Inc camp till the squadrons were forming. |
Move the column down the road, cap
tain'' said the commanding officer. IL
Will galop on and ascertain the real situ-
alton"
w e passed another and another courier, |
ana then we came to a body of men hold |
lhs horses behind clump of trees.
lust then there seemed to be an awful /
ssliIneSs in the morning air, suddenly bro |
Aeh by noise that sounded strange to
ne.
What is that?" asked.
II IS the rumhlng of their artillery"
Sald General S. Then he turned around. |
lo9Sigg us all squarely in the face, and
a9d'd IN a confident tone, eyes, they are
advancing, and in force"
1hcre was no mstaking the sound that |
neAt greeted the ears, there was Il clear. !
:. hg report that punctuated the still I
- men there was another and another
ouu the rifle cracks died away. They |
were the prelude of the battle soon to be- !
gln in earnest
me Gathering Of horses hoofs signalcd |
sool her courier who dashed up, exclaim-
Hs IN tones of feeling:
General our dismounted men are skir-
a,n ,i1S Alng with them" We had heard the !
rue ne shots half mile away.
J., aptain gallop back and hurry up the
.lla9lry nr.,, Tell Captain Hart we need the |
"',g,,aI''y ,,a ut once. He. too, is coming"
-. men there was another and another !
rie ries Of the clear voiced rifle. then ter
~ .tuc roolcy and a double shot or two. and !
M Nteu me guns were hushed for moment.
o9 Det, !, were seen hurrying from the direction I
si, me sound. They were tSuiGt amounted
Nv a',i,ulShers, who were being driven back
ron we strong advance in front. The men
,N with our column.
Fall in men," cried sergeant near
NJ M ran in, men! Fall in promptly! I
m y this terrible tongue Of war! /
@ ra IN hercl Fall in! This Is the most
aa Smlul appeal that greets the soldiers I
'"'S Foll in! 1t is a tocsin that dies :
1 oNuy OnlV with tIo f,,......1 tn