The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-25

from various States. Between them ana
on the eastward flank are the guns OF
Poague, WoOding and Carpenter, and now
crouching. confident, devil-may-care, these
pets OF old Jack. though their battalions
average not more than $50, under leaders
true and tried. sprawl in the shelter OF the
trees-they, the veterans of score or hard-
fought fields. wherein they have seldom
been denied, waiting TO pounce upon yam
kee command only two of whose regiments
nave yet been in battle. No wonder EWell
grins at the prospect and Taliaterro smiles
with confidence. These are the fellows mat
thrashed Schenck and MilrOy IN the valley
sent Banks spinning out OF IL, sickened Ere
mont of his command, swOoped down from
the Shenandoah to the Chickahominy when
Mcclellan seemed sure OF the capital,
trounced Fitzjohn Porter soundly at
Gaines's Mill. drove the Union army from
the York to the James, and hurled them
selves with fruitIess daring on the guns at
Malvern Hill. Then, as Mcclellan took TO
his boats, turned again in their tracks away
TO the Rap1dan, pounded Banks one more
at Cedar Mountain, doubled Pope on the
RappahannOck, and now, with serene COLI
fidence in the result, prepare 10 swallow
with their supper that Pendulum DIVISION
OF McDowells corps.
on TO the right front, half way 10 that
westward grove. is coy farmhouse with
shaded lawn and dottng fruit trees and
promise of eggs and butter, even OF butter
milk and appletack, and Ewell let's MS
wide-awakes go sampling and signifies APP
prevail and takes q hearty sip as dark
eyed young aid-de-camp rides up with
Thanks. Mr.. Ladue,' says he. That's
most refreshing. BY the way. you know
some of these fellows we're expecting out
yonder. don't your" and the general points
southwark 10 where the line of the pike
stretches from the little hamlet of Grove
ton in the hollow of Youngs branch, up
over higher ground, hidden here and there
by groves that cover half a dozen acres
each, but is generally in full view almost
all the way TO Gainesville. lying in the low
ground TO the west. Ladue follows the ges-
ture OF his commander, and then, his eyes,
dark, mournfGl and apprehensive, fix upon
that vehement soldier face. WISCONSIN
he falters. 81 felt knew ii must come
sometime
Eyes, sir, and John Gibbon commands
that brigade now, they say. I've known
him for years. To think of his being there
land he Tar He'll! And here his kim
ding eyes turn to where Trimbles men are
stretched upon the turf-North Carolina
closed on Alabama.
Even as Paul Ladue, dismounting, is won
dering If, after all, il should be the will
of the god of battles that David should
meet Jonathan, Damon be arrayed against
Pythias, he and Fred Benton brought face
TO face III the opposing lines, there Is SOUND
of stir and excitement down toward the
right. Coming They're comingi" Sect
are the excited whispers, and young officers
spring forward and peer over the low crest
in front. Poague, that year-old yet veteran
gunner, has tipped hand TO his bugler,
and low and muffled Attention. is sound
ed. Low and muffied, IL is repeated still
more family farther off to the east, where
the horses of WOOding and Carpenter are
grazing on the scanty turf. and drivers and
cannoneers spring to their posts Officers
and sergeants swing into saddle. No need
of such precaution. though. From far over
to the southwest, where the almost horizon
tai rays of the setting sun flash on thick
sheaves of cleaning, slanting, dancing gun
barrels-they can't be anything else-there
come floating over the open fields the mer-
ry strains of fine brass band, ringing out
the Jolly notes of a popular soldier song,
nd here Snrawling
bearded men or laughing boys take up the
jovial chorus:
Johnny stole a ha-a-am
And didn't care a da-a-a-m."
And then triumphantly. and all together:
"Ain't 1 glad to get out o de Wilderness
Down in Alaba-a-a-m."
Down in Alabam, indeedv' grins Ewell.
There's more than a few of you'll be on
and then, for the last time in many day,
he mounts his ready horse. He will never
stand on two feet again.
But Old Jack gives no SIGN. He, too is
waiting and watching. He. too. is there in
saddle at the edge of the trees, indistin-
guishable in the gathering gloom from
across the more than mile-wide stretch of
open, undulating fields. He waits until the
leading brigade OF the long column is clear
of the eastward OF the two groves. He lets
it go until ii dr"Ds into the low ground
about Grovetcn-~ It'll its advance is at the
Sudley Springs road well TO the eastward
until the head of the second brigade in
column, marching in splendid order, with
full and well-cosed ranks, comes swinging
out behind that now famous patch of tim
Der, then mods to Ewell and-the ball be-
gins. Out on sudden from the left OF the
massed lines Poague's lean horses and
gaunt. sinewy gunners spring to their work;
Six black-muzzled bankers are whirled
round in battery. The iron-shod trails"
drop with sullen thud on the turf: The The
Gle back in position. The hammers whirl
in air, and there is wheeze at the vents
as the sponge heads slide home, a low
thump, humping as the cartridge bags are
rammed TO the base. There is a moment of
sighting and squirting and low-muttered
orders, then n leaping aside, and one-two-
three-quick- believing, with vengeful spit
of flame and sulphur smoke. the nearest
battery hurls its screaming challenge across
the field, and in spite and fury the black
shells burst in whistling hail over the star
tied heads of the second brigade. Out be-
yond the first battery trot Wooding and
Carpenter, forming action 'front.' on the
slope a little to the northwest of Groveton,
and so three batteries are suddenly hurting
their swift fire upon the now Matted column.
Now see 'em take TO covert shout the
seasoned ones by the gun side as the left
half battery echoes the right, and all the
front of Starke's brigade is now covered
by flashing guns, believing in chorus, the
men, leaping IN and out to reload, dimiy
seen through the billowing battery smoke,
and still, screaming and shrieking. the
shells sail high across the rolling earth sea.
See 'em take to cover" indeed! Well
might they do so, 1Or just DeyOnu the pike
the woods lie thick and unbroken, but sud-
den as the shot each regiment has 'front.'
ed" to its left The steel ramrods of the
foremost seen flashing in air. The shrill
voice of Old Graybeard, squirting back to
his colors, has yelled the order to load at
will, and not until they've bitten and
poured and rammed and capped does he
follow that with Lie down" The right of
their line is flat on its belly at the edge of
the field, while squirting, flashing and
bounding, cannoneers racing alongside like
mad, a well-handled battery-Gibbon' own,
as Poague and Ewell more than suspect
the beloved of the brigade, comes thunder
ing up the pike, comes galloping out on the
field comes front into line" at a breakneck
pace whirs without hating it's bronze
beauties about, and in another moment the
loud-ringing light twelves' are outbellow-
ing the trio of batteries blazing there north
west of Groveton, sweeping their sections
with spherical case. Five. ten, fifteen
minutes the duel of death goes on. Glib
bon's gunners are all regulars, lords of
their trade, and old Ewell sees ii and knows
it, Timber up, Poague! Back. all of you!
They are too heavy for our guns! Is the
order and Paul Ladue spurs to carry it,
out of the way, gentlemen gunners! It's
our time now, goes the word from Starke's
eager ranks and so on down the long line
INTO their saddles leap field, staff and COM
manders The sun has gone down; the
dusk is at hand; the night must not come
until that stubborn brigade has been swept
from the earth. Who shall do it, Ewell or
Italia ferro?
From the westward now. from the far
right flank daring battery whips out on
the field and unlimbers where its guns can
/ trfrs alann Mt hTn nd