The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-02-26
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EASM On the March Ay5lYqtAe Car0lfnaS

Copyrighted. 1899. by the publisl
The Day After thu Battle Of Bentonville-A
Dreary Time Catirk for the Wounded-ot-
terbein Kramer hssa Fsrager.
Col. McGillicuddx sat down on fire
wood cut of a tree which they rolled up
in front of the fye sfor him. He was al
most dropping from physical fatigue as
well as the mental and moral exhaustion
of the fearful day.
Otterbein Kramer scraped up the last
grains of coffee, to make him cup.
Il hardly feel as should think of my
own comfort at all when there are so
many others that need care far worse than
/ do" said the Colonel dejectedly. How
can I ever bear to read the morning report
tomorrow. This has been the awfulest
day for the 200th Indiana since Stone
River. Chickamauga was not so bad, nor
even Kenesaw. Capt. Granger was killed
by that fire upon our flank. sergeant
Bruce took command of his company ana
rallied it. He was killed few minutes
later Corporal Shattock then took COM
mand, and though he was wounded, got
the company back in good shape behind
a swamp to protect our flank. l wonder
If he is dead. too. How l dread to read
the morning report! Capt. Grlscomb, VINO
led the charge back to recover me when
l was shot, and helped me on my horse,
was killed as he took his hand away. Ev-
erybody seemed falling as we went back:
How can ever read that morning report.
All those splendid men who had been
with us since we crossed the Ohio River
and there lies the best Adjutant That ever
formed a regiment-My God, whaI mas nor
this war cost in priceless lives! VINO VIII
make the morning report tn me tomor-
row? Sergt. Klegg. pay no attention TO
me. but make yourselves and your men as
comfortable as you can for the mgnt.
There is no use sending back for the
Surgeon. He has got more than he can
do till morning attending to those VINO are
worse off than We"
Colonel. lie down here by the fire"
begged Shorty, g we amt got anything TO
put over you, because our blankets are
back on our horses, the Lord knows where
but l will keep up a good fire, so that
you will be warm all night
mo, Corporal should say Sergeant:
for you are a Sergeant now-you should
have been long ago But there'll be no
trouble about vacancies now. am sure
that there are vacancies enough now III
every company to promote all that are ie1t
alive. You are Sergeant, to date from
this night But you must pay no farther
attention to me. Lie down yourself! l
know you are dead tired. l see that you
are wounded. How's that!'
Nothing but scratch. sir: nothing but
Scratch pooh-poohed Shorty. Il had
forgotten ali about it entirely And he
kept on moving around to make things
more comfortable for the Colonel.
''Serg't Elliott said the Colonel, in
not compel me to retuce you to the ranks
as soon as have promoted you. Lie down
and get some rest. sir.
Shorty flung another chunk upon the fre
before complying with the order. and laid
another one near to throw on toward
morning, when the. Colonel should be
asleep, as he calculated to wake up for
the purpose, but hc<had scarcely stretched
himself upon the pine boughs when his
he was fast asleep before he knew it.
The Adjutant hadisank into a death-like
coma, from which Alfs best efforts could
not rouse him, and. ALI, himself deadly
tired, lay down in front Of the fire with
Gid. tads -
Hours later, the gray dawn began to
break through the thick mist hanging low
on the soddcil fields,sand making still more
gloomy the dark, dank depths of the
woods. The, angry crackle of musketry-
firing rang for miles along the road and
semicircle where chilled Yank and numbed
rebel had been nervously watching each
other through the night. 1t was a posi-
tive relief to see something to shoot at,
after the hours of strained peering into
the shrouding darkness.
The sun began struggling up over the
eastern swamps and was greeted by the
cheers of 100000 men for his bright prom
Use of relief from the chilled drench
through which they had wallowed ever
since leaving Fayetteville,
The sharp pain in Sis wound would
have walked him had not the light and
noise done so. He east his eyes with eager
anxiety over the wreck-strewn battlefield
toward the enemy's position.
The terrible sights of the aftermath of
battle were familiar to him, but had never
seemed SO horrible as those which the
vealed.
What had been human beings and their
equipments. torn and mangled with every
possibility Of mutilatiOn and rending by
the awful cyclone of bullets and shell,
were scattered over the quaking boys of
the fields, mingled with the torn and splin-
tered fragments Of the trees into which
the angry cannon had spouted its breath
of hell.
Here and there feeble arm would be
raised by some terribly wounded man who
had been overlooked in the search, and
left through the awful hours in a chill
ditch of mud Cries for help. faint from.
those hoarse with all-night calling, fOated
over the field.
The WORKOUT Surgeons. smeared with
the blood of their terrible but humane
work, started the weary stretcher-bearers
again plodding over the fed, and hundreds
of comrades with improvised blanket
renewed with the first light
their search for their fallen comrades.
After the first ebullitiOn of spitefulness,
the skirmish fire along the line diminished
and finally ceased, indicating no immediate
resumption of the battle, and ST turned
to look on his companions.
The fire had died down to grim, gray
ashes, like the incomparably fiercer flames
of yesterday, only in it were merely spent
forces and desolatiOn-nought Of the stu
pendous misery and suffering of the other.
The Colonel had slipped down from his
log upon chunk in front, that he might
rest his shattered arm upon it, and there
had fallen into fitful doze.
He was now awake and looking with
eyes across the field to the lair of
the rebels. ,-1.u
NO" he had answered the look in Sis
eyes when the firing first broke out, 1.-THE |
hnttle will not be renewed today. There |
will be lot OF sauabbles for positions
as the troops cOmefup and Sherman forms |
his lines, but Sherman will not be ready
to fight until tomorrow at least. If |
stands his. ground he will not be |
ready to fight either. He seemed to put |
in all the men tie had yesterday, and we
shattered them aYfply. They must be now |
damagaSm If his achievements |
had come up during the night, as feared, |
Johnston wouldd hive begun the battle |