The Columbus journal., 1903-02-04
Eaeino To the Front.


We had an explosion near our
school building the other day., said
the professor, land I was greatly In
terested in the bearing OF children
under the unusual excitement OF
q group of boys nearest the scene OF
trouble all scurried away except two.
One of these faced. in q dazed, me-
chanical way. toward the smoke.
brought his heels together and stood
in the position of a soldier. straight
and stolid, awaiting Developments.
The other boy threw himself nat
on the ground, and with head slightly
raised watched unexcitedly the tur-
moil about the scene of the explosion.
81 knew both boys we'll and their
fathers before them. Going out from
Nashville along the Murfreesboro
nike on the 26th of December. 1862,
our brigade. part of Rosecrans' army.
moving on Stone river, came suddenly
on the rear guard of the enemy. Our
company was marching at the time in
two ranks in the middle of the white
road, while other companies and bat
talions were in order of battle on
either side of the road. As the ad-
vance, we were pressing forward. not
anticipating any serious resistance.
when we saw on q rise in front Of us.
and beyond our skirmishers and
yidettes, the fash of brass field guns.
going into position.
"A minute later three cannon balls
struck in quick succession on the road
not three feet to the left Of the center
Of our company rs 1t halted in two
rank formation, extending back along
the pike. Every one was taken by
surprise by the suddenness and vici.
ousness of the attack, but not . man
moved. The man nearest the spots
where the shots struck the hard,
macadamized road, and whose face
and clothes were covered with the
dust and gravel thrown up. looked
neither to the right nor the left, but
STRENGTHENING his figure, stood at 1t
tention, facing squarely to the front
The next shot might strike him and II
might come in IN instant. but instinc
lively he faced the danger, whatever
it was. 49,
"The colonel. not twenty feet away
noticed the bearing Of the men viii
a gleam of pride In. his eyes, and thes
said in q matter OF fact way. They
have your range, men. Move OF the
road before they. lire again. Th<
men moved deliberately to the line oi
fence on the roadside and . minute
later three more cannon balls Werl
planted just where the company had
stood, and again my stolid man faced
to the front and said unexcitedly
There they go. They have skedad
died. Four days later I saw thii
same man in the panic hour Of day.
battle and in the midst Of the teroa
and confusion he stood, stolidly facing
to the front, and other men 6eeinl
from crumbling lines, aligned them
selves upon him.
$50 1t happened that he became tn,
center of q new line of desperate
fighters looking for something to rail-,
upon, for something to cling to In tn
storm Of battle, for somebody VII
would stand against the pursuinl
enemy. He stood and they stood. ant
later 1t became habit with Ill o
them when confronted by danger +
face as he faced that day, and to con
fidently await Developments. The bo
who faced, the smoke on the day q
our small explosion was the youngea
son Of my stolid soldier friend IN
my theory is that he did as he di
because it was In his blood to do Il
and that the instinct of facing to tn
ffoat in time OF danger will 60 dow
to his sons and grandsons. Chicag
Intor Ocean.