The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1901-05-24

! jungle across the marsh. The fire of the
skirmishers swelled into a steady crackle.
That trumpet is signal" said the
regular, "and it's like another but bigger
signal that l heard a long time ago.
Hear those shots over there? The caval-
~ are on their TANKS now. We haven't
got much longer to wait; then Wen swing
forward as we did that day up Cemetery
hill, but to a lnckier end"
sit was hot them" said the youth ten
tativcly
The regular laughed quietly.
"Hot?' he said. Hot was no name
for it. 1t was the road to the Internal
regions I'm a Nirginian, Jarvis, and l
was with Pickett. l was no older then
than you are now. We We're lying down
on Seminary ridge, facing the Yankees on
Cemetery hill and biding our time. We
! had been fighting there nearly three days,
you know Jarvis, but we, under Pickett,
did not come up until the last day. Do
you see any of 'em, Jarvis?"
"No The skirmishers are still lively,
but don't see anything"
Its still too early for us. There had
been tremendous fire of big guns, about
300 of 'em altogether, for an hour or two,
and then they stopped all of a sudden.
1t was so still that you could hear an ant
crawl. Then came the signal for us with
Pickett to charge home to the heart of
the northern army, and we did it. | say
we did it, but we didn't come back-at
least not many of us. 1t was about a
mile across the open, and there were less
than 5000 of us going against the Yam
kee army of 10000 or 10000 men, though
if it had been the other way | guess the
Yankees would have done the same. That
was the hottest and liveliest march, Jar
Wis, that 5000 men ever made. They be-
gan blazing at us at once with the big
guns on Cemetery hill and from the bat
teries that covered the hill called Little
Round Top, and the bullets and the shells
dashed us through and through. Hasn't
that firing come a little nearer, JarvisY'
Yes. | can see two of our skirmishers
crawling through the BUSH
'All right, let 'em work; it's their time.
and ours hasn't come. When we got
across that valley, Jarvis. there weren't
many of us left, but we went on all the
same, and then the rifles began on us.
$4,000 or 10000 of 'em, but then they
looked to me like a Million l couldn't
see anything but black smoke and red
flame, and as | went on | stumbled over
the bodies of my comrades Even now,
Jarvis, | sometimes hear in my ears the
roaring of all those cannon and rifles.
Now and then when the smoke was driv-
en- aside by the blaze of the great guns
we could see the northern batteries and
we kept straight toward 'em. We haven't
much longer to wait now, Jarvis. There's
the colonel across yonder, and he's draw
ing his belt little tighter. That means
h.,N al,, I'm l.. L
it himself"
Il don't hear the trumpet any more,
Wilson"
No, it's sung its song for the day. The
enemy are crawling into the earthworks
now. As told you, Jarvis, we went on
up the hill and into the mouths of the
Yankee guns. Oh, they were there all
right enough waiting for us, and | don't
remember much that happened then ex-
cept a roar and blaze and yells as if a
million devils were shouting at once. All
of our men who were left were killed or
taken, and | fell down with one bullet
through my leg and another through my
shoulder"
You were taken prisoner, Wilson,"
"Of course. When the battle was over.
a tall young fellow with blue eyes and
now, lifted me up and carried me into the
Yankee camp He brought me a doctor
and until l got well he waited on me
same as if he had been my brother That
was a curious young fellow, Jarvis-at
least thought so then, but not now per-
haps. He didn't seem to have any malice
toward us of the south, though he was
fighting us with all his might He had got
81 -,
enough to put him off active duty, but
not enough to keep him from helping me.
1t was then that l began to find out that
the Yankees were the same sort of men
under the skin that we were. We'd argue
the question of the war in the most peace.
full way, just like two preachers. Then
he'd tell me about his home way up
north, and I'd tell him about mine way
down south. Hark to that. Jarvis! The
lights swinging close"
The fire of the skirmshers grew fercer
To the ears of the listening men came
the occasional shout of the combatants.
Overhead coppery sun sailed in sky
of cloudless blue, and the air became
closer and hotter. The deserted huts in
the village looked like emblems of desc
lation. Everything betokened the COM
ing conflict.
We'll, the Yankee nursed me for near
a month" resumed the regular, "and l
suppose that ] owe my life to him--at
least l feel that way. We must have
had hundred arguments about the war,
and | never could convert him, and he
never could convert me, but we didn't
worry about that when we parted, I've
never forgot Jarvis what that Yankee
did for me- and it's one reason why when
the war was over l concluded that as |
had been fighting against Uncle Sam for
four years ought to fight for him awhile,
and as matter OF fact I've been fighting
for him ever since-years and years
against the Indians out west and then
against the Spaniards in Cuba. Take
last look at your Krag, Jarvis. We amt
got more'n two minutes left now"
low murmur accompanied by gen
tie click of metal arose around them. 1t
was the men gathering themselves for the
charge and moving their rides softly.
The fire of the skirmishers died, and the
stiffness of expectation took its place.