Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1904-09-23

usage; for the second and third Tylel
brigades under Schenck were at ono,
formed in line OF battle in the woods OF
either side-the First Ohio. Second
Wisconsin, Seventy ninth, Thirteenth
and Sixty ninth New York regiments
succeeding each other on the right
and the Second Ohio and Second New
York being similarly placed on the
left while the artillery came down the
road between.
A great 32-pound rifled ParrOtt
gun-the only one of its ealiber in our
field service-was brought forward,
made to bear on the point where we
had just seen the enemy (for the bay0
nets suddenly disappeared in the woods
behinO and a shell was fired at fifteen
minutes past 8 a. M, which burst in
the air, but the report of the piece
awoke the country for leagues around
to sense OF what was to be the order
of the day. The reverberation was
tremendous shaking through the hills
like the volley of dozen plebean can
non, and the roar of the revolving
shell indescribable. Throughout the
battle that gun, whenever it was fired
seemed to hush and overpower every
thing else. We waited moment for
an answering salute, but receiving
none sent the second shell at hilltop
two miles off where we suspected that
a battery had been planted by the
rebels. The bomb burst like an echo
close at the intended point, but still
no answer came, and Gen. Tyler order
ed Carlisle to cease firing and bring
the rest of his battery to the front Of
the woods and our column, ready for
instant action. 1t was now about z
o'clock. For half an hour but little
more was done; then skirmishers were
1eployed into the forest on each side
In order to discover the whereabouts of
our nearest foes. Before us lay a roll
ing and comparative open country,
but with several bills and groves cut
ting off any extended view. In the
western distance on the left we could
see the outskirts of Manassas juno.
tiOn. The woods at whose edge our
line of battle formed. extended half
around the open fields in kind of
and it was into the arms of
this crescent that our skirmishers ad
Soon we began to hear ran
dom shots exchanged in the thicket on
the left, which proved the existence of
an enemy. What can be done against
men who to all the science and discip-
line of European warfare, add more
than the meanness and cowardly
treachery of the Indian? We had, all
the day, to hunt for the foe,
though he numbered his myriads of
men.) At the same time, scout on
the right captured negro native,
who was led to the general, shaking
with fear, and anxious to impart such
as he had. Through him
we learned that the rebels werel quar-
tered among the woods on the right
and left, and in the groves in the open
country; that they had erected a bat
terry on the distant hill, and had kept
him at work for three days, assisting
to fell trees, so that clear range OF
the road we occupied could be OBJ.
tanned.
By this time our scouts reported the
enemy In some force on the left. Two
or three Ohio skirmishers had been
killed. Carlisle's battery was sent to
the front of the right. where 1t could
be brought to play where needed. A
few shells we're thrown into the op
pOsite thicket, and then the Second
Ohio and Second New York marched
down to rout out the enemy. In ten
the musketry was heard, and
then a heavy cannonade answered.
They had, without doubt, fallen upon
a battery in the bushes. For a quar-
ter of an hour their firing continued,
when they came out in good order,
our surmlses. After ad-
vancing furIOng they saw the enemy,
who exchanged their fire and retired
through the forest. Suddenly from a
different direction voice was heard,
exclaiming, "Now, you Yankee devils,
we've got you where we want you!"
and several heavy guns were opened
upon them with such effect that
Schenck finally ordered them to retire,
which they did in perfect order. The
boys came out indignant at the prac
tices of the rebels, and swearing they
would rather fight three times their
force in the open field than encounter
the deadly mystery of those thickets.
No soldiers are willing to have theil
fighting entirely confined to storming
To be continued next week.
What is Life7
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