The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1904-07-30
EIGHT ABREAST
IcopyrIsht. ioOa. BY c. y. Lsvis.i

OF flame u third OF the way across tue
bridge from the right aud left other
sheets Of flame. Every musket had a
rest on top Of the earthworks every
sight covered a human target The
head OF the advancing column did not
reach the planks OF the bridge. IL
melted away In the midst Of the Oh
structlons. TO create other distractions.
aud forty men lay dead and wounded
as the smoke laEily drifted down the
stream.
Purity fair fur what time we was
at H." said Hen rs he rose up for a look
after reloading.
I'VE ought 10 got at least twenty
more at slch clus shootin," growled
Tom la reply.
They'll come ag'in. OF courseT
Don't be- - fool. Benz Dye
think the loss Of forty or fifty men
would stop one 0f our divisions from
gettin' somewharsf II you feel tired
aud sleepy you'd better ask for leave
10 40 to the rear"
Say, don't want too much OF yer
chin. old manT'
"Oh. yer don't WAL. We Jest tend
90 fghun' aud dyin' and don't worry
about my chin. Better shet yer eyes
this time aud see n ye can't damage
some Of EN-"
That dash was n feeler 20 develop
the strength defending the bridge and
10 see II II was mined for blowing up
Around the bend Of the road they
laughed al the idea Of hundred men
holding a division at bny Further
back the soldiers fretted and fumed
aud officers swOre az the delay.
Get ready! Fire at willr'
This time a column of 800 men. form
cd eight abreast. as before. dashed at
the bridge with ringing cheers. and
though the first four OF five ranks went
down others lived 10 reach the earth.
work aud TO make a ferce hght for it,
posscssion. For ten minutes there were
shot aud shout and curse and groan.
and then the bridge was clear again,
clear 81 al but the dead and wounded
The veteran lieu was one OF the half
dozen who started 20 cheer ms the enc
my sullenly fcll back. but Tom inter
rupied him with.
what yer maxim a cussed fool OF
ycrself forT"
We've licked 'em ag'inF'
Licked hell N this war don't end
ia icss'n thfee months you wont know
nun 10 pound sand The Iiea Of yer
yawpln' ana whoopln over "a victory
when we've lost at least twenty men
a.. -. L. nj. 81
out. body and butcs! Look along the
lincs.'
Ben looked 40 and down the lines
aud shlvered as he noted the dead and
wounded who had fallen out Aud now
the enemy developed force 10 the
right. another 10 the left. and the men
crcpt forward 90 the very brink OF the
ruvlne and opened such a hot fire that
no defender " the carthwork could
ma his head Under cover OF this IRE
force formed up In the road for a
dash across the bridge. The captain
sent an order along the earthwork,
and each crouchlng man mnde ready
to rise up aud IRE when the critical
moment came.
Say. this Is gettin' TO be redhotv'
exclaimed Ben rs the bullets sent the
dirt dying over his head.
"wnal. we don't need any ice Jest
now" grimly replied Tom. I'VE are
goln' 20 cit licked on this deal"
Not licked. but wiped out. The or
dcrs are 90 bold the bridge 10 the last,
and our captains the man TO do IT,
Purity leetlc sight mighty purity. Lots
o heads VIII git busted when we rise
up 20 fire. Never had a bullet through
yer cokcrnut. did yer
Tom did not answer. Just then came
the order 10 fire at VIII. and as the
muskets looked over the earthworks
the enemy cheered and dashed for the
bridge a third time. over the rocks
aud bushes obstructing the road. over
the wounded. crying out, over the dead
aud over the blood spots. and again
they reached the earthworks and
fought hand 10 hand.
Guess they1l stay licked this time"
growlcd Ben as the enemy fell back
after ten minutes lighting.
"Oh. ye do"' sneered Tom ms he
Juuhfu uiH Va hh'A AhAt Aii' fai AhWNAh
60 clear II OF blood. "Waal, OF all the
blnmed idiots In Grants army you
take the cake. We've got about ten
men left TO hold division, and ye are
shoutin for a victryr'
Now. the enemy. maddened by the
delay and resistance, crossed men
above and below the bridge. and they
were soon taking the breastwork In tho
rear. The captain was down, his lieu
tenants were down. A corporal had
command OF the remnant OF the hun
drcd men.
what dye call thisr' asked Ben as
the bullets began TO come In from
flank ana rear.
Next door 10 hcllr' replied Tom.
Face about and see II ye can't hit a
barn door"
'I've dropped man every time I've
Hired, and-and"-
And half an hour later, wounded In
arm and shoulder and hip, a powder
stained. dust covered old veteran APP
penred before his colonel aud saluted
aud said:
"Cnmnonv H. st.. datagla1 20 hold