The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-11-01

learned to expect anything and to be
discouraged by nothing. When op the
march our method of going to bed was
always very simple. III general. wa
placed something between US and the
ground, II We hid anything suitable, az
was not by ANY means always the case.
and covered up With blanket or overcoat.
Our trying times came with rainy yeath.
err especially when 1t was prolonged and
chilly. Then, after a days trudglng
through mud and water. wet to the bone.
and tired through and through, we laid
ourselves on tho soaked earth. covered
up with whatever was availabe--blanket
overcoat or bushes-let the rain pour on.
and, endured impassive, TIL perhaps tho
water, submerglng mouth
and nose, forced us to turn. 1t Is easy
to realize that such nights were horrible;
yet, so callous to physical hardshlps
like these does the soldier become, that.
for my part, though I must have passed
through scores OF wretched nights during
my four years In the field, not more than
four or five of them have left marked
impression on my mind.
BEFORE THE BATTLE.
It is parodoxical to speak OF sleeping
while marching all night lonE Thtse
night marches were truly the times that
tried mems souls. Can thare lns In hurns.,
experience anything moro ineHably droA-y
than to be dragging oneself on and on.
step by step. the llvelong night, WITH mon
and army wagons mopinE and bluhdering
through the darkness, and checked eve:y
few feet by some disabled team? Yet,
even under these distressing conditions.
some Of US could sleep. becoming veri.
table somnambulsts. creeping and snoring
In rhythmic simultaneously
The browning event Of the soldiers lie,
OF course. is the battle. II would be nat.
ural to suppose that tho Immediate anti
Danish sleep. Yet this ls not 80. He may
be deprived, It Is true by the contingent
cles Of the situation Of the opportunity tor
sleeping, but should he get the oppor-
tunity he Ia fully capable OF using 1t.
So far l have observed, on the night be.
fore the battle the soldiers sl,mber 10
tranquil. AS he lays himself DOWN there
is thought Of what is impending. an
anxious thought. No doubt. but It is not
Of long duration Then all Is forgotten; he
sinks into undisturbed. and, believe
generally, dreamless sleep; and. unless
reused by some physical discomfort. rests
till awakened by the appointed signals.
He sees no ghosts. no forms of loved ones
at home. He is ms dead temporarily ae
very possibly. IN few hours. he will be
permanently. He sleeps like the condemn
cd Is said to sleep on the night before
his day OF execution. What he feels at
the moment OF waking is matter Of IN.
d,vidual temperament. In effect. the sum.
mons of the soldier to rise on the morn
OF battle is that solemn call. Prepare to
meet thy Godv' and we cannot deem 1t
derogatory to the brarest II he does not
suddenly hear 1t altogether unmoved. Fut
the depressing emotion, If felt at all. IS
rapidly d'ss'pated by tile stimulating feel
Ing OF oompanionsh tn e Dc who are
about to tread together the path that
leads to glory, II also to the grave.
And when tho fateful day has passed
over and beyond us. and its night Is come.
1t may be that 1t does not bring u. rest,
and that we shall not sleep, We may
have to follow the fleeing enemy, or
ourselves discounted. we may have to
hasten away. soliciting the darkness %
help us to some friendior place. Or We
may be so fortunate as to be privileged
to sleep on the field OF battle. Every one
has often read of soldiers. under these
circumstances sleeping among the heaps
of slain. Usually, the phrase heaps Of
slain" must be taken as n rhetorical ON.
bellishment.
SLEEPING ON THE FIELD.
The aspect OF battlefield immediately
after the battle, hdeous MS 1t Is, Ia sci.
dom quite so bad as it Is represented to
be. Our standard descriptions OF these
scenes are commonly the localized pic
lures OF poets and other romantic persons
who have asslduously cultivated pence
that they might be spared to fifty cel4-
brate war Their statements, therefore. are
of'en erroneous. or, II true. the truth y
not infrequently overcharged with lllu.
sorry ornament. Heaps OF slain cannot
easily be formed except under peculiar
conditions. as when the lighting Is des-cr-
ate within restricted spaces. Generally
the bodies arc scattered far and wide
with Intervals. which are often consid ".
| able. between them. There Is no need II
sleep on, or In immediate contact with
| the dead. and only a very brutlh or cal
! lous fellow would do so, In truth. II
4 putting himself to bed on the battlefield
| the solder gets at a convenience distance
/ from the corpses. drops down w,thou
4 much preparation or ceremony. ant
/ quickly sinks into profound, II not Away,
restful. slumber for he Is sadly worn lnc
very weary.
But tho very perfection 0: repose To-
the Confederate soldier was to sleep OF
the grass. on a bal'ny summer night be
meath the benignant sky. with the brlgh
stars. or better even, the mildly radian
moon kindly beamlns on him. Then HI
is lulled into peace with all the world
and grows charitable even towards hi
enemy. How soft his slumbers are
and, In his later years. how sweet thei
! recollection. II the imminent Destlnies
daykly busy. shall spare him.
He does not, at such time, drop sud
denly into oblivion. but lets his fame
stray homewards for II while and. b
sure. il he Is in the flush OF youth. as
many OF our soldiers were, his thought
soon center on Some fair being whom h
loves and who loves him, too, with NJ
I fiction not purer. indeed, but yet f!rme,
and, to my thinking, sweeter than ca
nowadays prevail between young me
and women; for the love OF the Confedo
rate boy and girl was the all-poweriul =.
eSauisltely tender love that has IT, hrt
amid great misfortunes aud Is no,rlsht
by profound SORROWS, shnrct by the lovers
each with the other,
ASLEEP ON a PLANK.
remember with peculiar satisinctiol