The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1904-07-20
EIGHT ABREAST
copyright. 1904, by c. B. Lewis.l

"See and hear 'em, Tom" queries an
old veteran of his right hand man as
he peers over the top of the earthwork.
Aye, Benz is the answer
Around the bend of the road zoe in
fantry formed UP in lines eight abreast
The width of the road allowed for no
more With bayonets fixed and mus
kets at the trail they waited for Il min
ute and then made Il dash. From the
center of the carthwork leaped a sheet
of flame a third of the way across the
bridge-from the right and left other
sheets of flame Every musket had Il
rest on top of the eartlworks-ev
sight covered a human target The
head of the advancing column did not
reach the planks of the bridge. 1t
melted away in the midst of the OBJ
structions, to create other distractions,
and forty men lay dead and wounded
as the smoke lazily drifted down the
stream.
"Purty fair fur what time we was
at it, said Ben as be rose up for q look
after reloading.
I'VE ought to got at least twenty
more at SIGH clus shootin'," growled
Tom in reply.
They'll come ag'in, of courses?
"Don't be fool, Ben! Dye
think the loss of forty or fifty men
would stop one of our divisions from
gettin' somewhar's? If you feel tired
and sleepy you'd better ask for leave
to so to the rear"
'.say, don't want too much of yer
chin, old mani"
''Oh, yer don't! Waal, ye jest tend
to fghtin' and dyin' and don't worry
about my chin. Better shet yer eyes
this time and see if We can't damage
some of 'em."
That dash was a feeler to develop
the strength defending the bridge and
to see if it was mined for blowing up.
Around the bend of the road they
laughed at the idea Of hundred men
holding division at bay. Further
back the soldiers fretted and fumed,
and officers swore at the delay.
Get ready! Fire at will"
This time column of 500 men, form
ed eight abreast. as before, dashed at
the bridge with ringing cheers, and
4 though the first four or five ranks went
down others lived to reach the earth
work and to make fierce fight for its
) possession. For ten minutes there Were
shot and shout and curse and groan,
and then the bridge was clear again,
] clear of all but the dead and wounded.
/, The veteran Ben was one of the half
dozen who started to cheer as the enc
my sullenly fell back, but Tom inter
rupted him with:
/ yerself for:'
We've licked 'em ag'in.'
Licked hell! II this war don't end
/ in less'n three months you won't know
huff to pound sand. The idea of yer
4 yawpin' and whoopin' over victory
when we've lost at least twenty mer
and when we are sartn to be wiped
out, body and butes! Look along the
lines.
Ben looked up and down the lines
and shvered as he noted the dead and
wounded who had fallen out. And now
the enemy developed force to the
right. another to the left, and the mel
| creIt forward to the very brink of the
ravine and opened such a hot fire thai
10 defender of the earthwork could
lift his head. Under cover of this fire
force formed up in the road for &
dash across the bridge. The captain
sent an order along the earthwork
and each crouching man made ready
to rise up and fire when the critica
moment came.
Say, this is gettin' to be redhot!
exclaimed Ben as the bullets sent thu
dirt flying over his head.
"Waal we don't need any ice jes
! now" grimly replied Tom. I'VE ar,
goin' to git licked on this deal"
Not licked, but wiped out. The or
ders are to hold the bridge to the last
and our captains the man to do it
Purity leetle tight-mighty purity. Lot
} O. heads will git busted when we ris
up to fire. Never had bullet through
yer cokernut, did yep
Tom did not answer. Just then cam
the order to fire at will, and as tn
muskets looked over the earthwork
the enemy cheered and dashed for tn
bridge third time. Over the rock
and bushes obstructing the road, owe
the wounded, crying out, over the dea'
and over the blood spots, and again
they reached the earthworks am
fought hand to hand.
Guess they'll stay licked this time!
growled Ben as the enemy fell bacl
after ten minutes fighting.
'Oh. We do" sneered Tom as h
jabbed his bayonet into the earthwor
!. to clear it of blood "Waal, of all tn
blamed idiots in Grants army 70
take the cake. We've got about tie
men left to hold division, and We ar
shoutin for vict'ry"
Now, the enemy, maddened by tn
delay and resistance, crossed me
above and below the bridge and the
We're soon taking the breastwork in tn
rear. The captain was down, his lie,
tenants We're down A corporal ha