The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-02-23
a Close Call.

captain W. l. burgess MS aSNSN u
give 2 reminesceRce Of the civil war By
the Eagle. He writes:
There is a beautiful plantation lying
on Yasoo Lake. and surrounded by high
bluffs This IS the property OF General
Johnston. of Confederate fame. This
place is cut b. stream Of pure. clear
water ernptyirg into the Yazoo. and
forest trees OF pine. tail and graceful
adorn the circumference OF the rich tract
OF land The bluffs on the lake from the
western border form a crescent. and ter
inmate on the eastern side Of the oianta-
ton on the lake. There was a coirmo-
dious mansion of stone with marble steps
leading IN amid the columns supporting
the colorado This was the hoE-s of
General Johnston. but now unoccupied,
save by few slaves. Vines trained them
selves about the pillars. twisted them
selves into fantastic hieroglyphics and
pesped into the windows and some went
trailing along the caves. The grounds
were tastefulIy planned with walks ana
snug retreats, ell shadowed-even HID.
amidst plants Of rare beauty and growth;
statUary stood like silent sentinels over
the place 10 guard against the intruder.
Around about this home are the iroad
acres along the little stream and border
ing the lake. Here was camped General
Sherman's army. He had decided to
make an attack on Haine's hun. and had
moved up the river from Youngs Point
opposite Vickshurg, and here We Y ere.
the bluns encirciing us. the lake in front
The order at first was not TO disturb the
property or iniure The house. but M
sooner were we encamped, and the army
arranged for attack upon the batteries
along the hills. than sharp-shooters took
position in the house and were icking
off our officers and men. They had no
trouble in holding the house against our
Tiflemen for heavy battery commanded
the house and we kept as far out Of
range as possible.
Twice General Sherman sent word to
the Confederate general unless those
sharpshooters were removed ne would
send up the gun-boats and shell the
house" They paid no attention to this
warning and the result was the gun-boats
moved up in the face of the battery and
completely wrecked the mansion and in
duced some of the guns On the lower
hills to report on the sick list Tor re-
pairs.
Meanwhile the army. like great ser
pent, was forming into lines facing these
bluffs and preparing for an assault The
artillery was keeping up a terrific can
nonading that every battery on the hills
would be rendered useless. Now. at one
point, it seemed for time that our fir
ing had been effective and brigade was
formed for the purpose of rushing at
the parspet. and while the big guns
shook the earth until it trembled. the
brigade cheered and rushed forward
Then batteries heretofore unseen. opened
their fiery mouths aud but for a Sulch
along the base of the hills when the
brigade took shelter not q man would
have been left TO tell the story. There
they We're. 1t was death to retreat; it
was death to stay there. and for long
hours they were penIed up. andwaiting
to be picked off. By concentrating the
heavy artillery at this point and a-ifact-
ing the battery's fire. the brigade was
enabled to escape. Might as we'll have
undertaken TO sail one of the gun-boatS
over the tall pine trees bordering the
lake as to march infantry mp in the face
OF that burning hell. They were playing
with US. We were allowed to march
and nter-march-here dashed one bril-
ssde 10 the right; here one to the left
here rushed third to the crest or q hill
here another advanced and Rugged the
ground and then opened such q fire that
a bird could not have fallen to the ground
without being cut 10 pieces. Now a man
would rush from tho line and plant the
flag across the ditch and amidst the
cheers OF his comrades return - the
ranks But all was vagn-not a battery
silenced, not a point gained, for the
hollows on the right and on the left. be-
hind the rocks. sheltered in the valleys.
covered by the woods. Sharpshooters
sent our their missiles Of death. cannon
the Wild shouts OF officers
echoed along the lines. the earth shook
till the hills trembled. The curtain moved
up on the tragedy or war. Three days we
thus maneuvered in the face OF those
impregnable. rock ribbed fortresses OF
the enemy. There was scarcely point
on that plantation where we were safe
from the shells Of the enemy They came
over us anG amongst Us ltav-
ing their blue and violet trails. pencil
ing the air and shrieiiue with that de-
voice more uaearthy and 'erri- I
bic tkan the voice Of despair like We
might imagine the wh0op OF the demon /
as he glcats over the capture u . lost I
soul. Nothing IN All The surroundings Of I
battle. not the cries of the wounded. not 4
the bursting bomb. OF the deafcnns /
thunders Of a hundred cannon. Is as nor +
rible - the shrek Of "A single shell COINS /
Dn its mission o. death and des;ruc ti0u. /
seeming thing Of life-knoa-ing and OK
llting in she fact. that & VIII leave it, /
victim maugled and torn. dying in pieces. +
yith scenes Of home and faces % loved i
lnes filling the atmosphere abou- yea
bat % reach ~ the ;hruhl6ne eis80as j
81 pain and suffering invoked by the devll
u war. Here w. were and ii 1acaue
evident to ar that We were ia q box. We
,ouid eAect nothing against these =trone- 4
aolds. No way into vleksburg Dr. lh.s 4
-oate Now whaf VIII we do Ha7Dea-
ne - b. sent o. headquarters ! became
that the chlef question was
'loN 70 SIT oct q shere- j. hal hesp
noticed that the blur q the extreme
,ast. cr right % ;he army t1achfas ihs
axe had nor been occupied Hifh 3 bsi-
cry sll fhis time. Not a gun rad been
ired from its summit. tu1t r. csFnraa n5s-l
zee lass where cur 1oFiiis ~ boata las
General &cCleruard cane. sape-ocas9s
scnerai Shsrrnsn anil shea bezsn rev
sovement g the arms Brirsdes ara
egineafz were chanting posrlons fhs
arEer guns along rs Hne ~ att1rk
ysrt removed ard rhssr oieces 9Hed slfh
izis'er artfllerg fvsrr iaficatioh -as-
.-epsreilar fer arFhrr attack ~ tt-
.atteIsss and 90 cay fliis nnoveusss- ,aa-
iared Whea nignt ci1re re boats -
sr - move s1d tax rcrifiur a1r..e ~. +