The National tribune., 1904-04-14

day-there was one less at roll call that
night. The next day there came the clash
of cOntending armies, and others drew
prizes in the lottery of war, another fellow
getting a wooden leg as souvenir. 1t was
a very simple matter. He was marching
along with the company, when she'll came
sailing over the bill and crushed one leg
+ at the knee. The shell then went on and
struck a barn full of skukers. For mo-
ment the air was full of shingles and flying
boards and the yard was full of straggiers.
Some of these fellows never stopped rum
ming. but the fellow that was hit was laid
upon one of the rough barn doors found
near The trousers of TIL shattered leg
We're cut away, then with knife and saw
the Surgeon took it off above the knee. The
operation was performed at the roadside,
where regiments of soldiers were waiting
to- go into the fight, and every mothers son
of them wished himself home in the big
swamp behind dads barn.
There was Lieut.. Falstaf, who feared
the war would end before he could be
wounded. At every rest by the wayside
he burst into patriotic oratory. HE for
one could never return to Michigan with
| out the honorable scars of war upon his
body" In the midst of one of these flights
there came the distant roar of a cannon
like far-off thunder tsorm. Indeed, We
thought it thunder, until it kept repeat
ing ut regular intervals; then we marched
again faster than ever, the sounds coming
nearer, until they were just beyond the
hills in front. Then We stopped sudden
~ to load our Enfield muskets I confess
that my heart beat so hard / could hardly
put the cap on the cone. Just then it oc
| CURED TO me to be guided by Lieut.. Fail
staff, whose place was at my left or rear.
| would not disgrace myself; but, to my
dismay, he was not there; he had disap-
peared. and we knew him not again, until
| the battle WIS over" He had the disease
i known as wind collapse"
Fate seemed against him he was not
where he could be wounded, but came up
| after the dead had been buried and the
| wounded sent away to the rear.
The next time an opportunity came for
| him to receive battle scar" he had ur-
| gent business several miles In the rear,
and soon afterward Gen. Sheridan sent n
polite request for his resignation. A few
| days later he entertained the people at
| could quite get the bloodstains off his saber
| until the old reg iment came home in 'G5.
| INITIATION AT PERRYvILLE.
| Thinking of that officer, got away from
| my memories of the actual battle. We
went forward on the double quick, then to
| the right into line, behind the brigade bat
terry, along 4 slight knoll. Directly in front
of me was rail fence beyond that a corn
with shells over the fence, exploding them
| at the far side of the field half q mile
away. From the hills beyond the enemy
returned the salute. and the air seemed
full of flying missiles. Then stray bullets
came tipping above our heads, and a mo-
| ment later that corn field seemed alive with
men in gray. in long lines, coming with
yells and cheers right at us. They were
after our battery in earnest.
Back came our skirmishers out of the
fence corners on the run, taking their
places in the ranks. The battery guns were
depressed a bit, their shells striking and
throwing the rails into the air. and ii
seemed Old Nick had let loose all his imps
Grape and canister followed the shells the
regiment opened with their muskets, q con.
tinuous roar. Still on came those rebel
battlefags until the line of fence was
reached, where they halted. The field OF
corn was swept by tornado of lead, and
dreds. Some one behind us ordered q
; charge, and We ran toward the fence, but
there was no one standing in front tc
fight
| Thrice that was repeated that day, eacl
time with the same results. We seemed
to have all our own way ON that part Of
the line, but to our left the enemy hae
crowded back; but in the contest we were
! the victors and PerryviIle was won.
. Could battles be fought without loss Of
: life and the wounding and manning Of men
it would be delight in writing Of then
J as / saw them; but there Is the dread af
ter result. the time when "the sun goes
down." and with teardimmed eyes W,
CROPPED along the ground In the dark, look
ing for comrades, carrying off the wounded
and then later burying the dead.
The battle Of Psrryville did not end with
the sunset. but far into the night the fast